Stepping Stones
by Invader Nav
Summary: Written post Steven Bomb 8. Kevin is a shameless flirt while Jamie is a hopeless romantic, so when the two meet unexpectedly, the mailman is left star stuck. It's exhilarating, thrilling and the two can't deny that there's something there. But a mysterious tragedy strikes the small population of Beach City, and in the aftermath, the two confront their feelings. Kevamie, KevinXJamie
1. Hey Mr Postman

"You wanted to ask me something, Barbara?" Jamie asked, offering a warm smile that was readily returned by his older coworker upon entering the mail room.

Barbara had been absentmindedly shuffling through a stack of letters when he'd entered. The mailroom was as neatly kept and organized as ever - that would be Jamie's doing. He took quite a bit of pride in making sure every letter was perfectly stacked and no package was misplaced, while Barbara seemed intent on doing the exact opposite, being rather reckless with how she handled things. As she tried to restack the letters she'd been skimming through, she relented and simply placed them back on the desk in a pile, dusting her hands off on her uniform before flashing him a wide grin.

"Heya, kiddo! Thanks for stopping by." Anyone who was more than a few years younger than Barbara was subjected to being called a kid, and Jamie had since grown both used to and fond of it. On top of her friendly and motherly attitude, her endless energy was infectious, and it always left Jamie feeling invigorated before he even started his route.

"So, I've got a small favor to ask." Jamie's eyebrows pricked up in surprise. Barbara was a loud, proud and determined woman. It wasn't often she'd ask for anything, and she frequently refused assistance, assuring everyone she could handle herself, though Jamie made it a point of letting her know that he was always happy to help. So for her to ask anything of the younger mailman was a rarity.

"Sure, of course! What is it?" He asked, shifting his mail bag over his left shoulder. When he lifted his head back to face her, he fumbled with the packages shoved into his arms, blinking at her from over the edge of the box on top.

"You know my route, right? Up in the hills?" Jamie nodded at Barbara's questions best he could, trying to get a better hold on the packages. The heart of Beach City, beneath the rolling hills, was where Jamie's route was, while Barbara would make the journey up into the hills that lead out of their little beachside town to the few houses that overlooked everything else. He knew that's where the Maheswarans and the mayor lived, at the very least.

"Well, I know I usually handle that side of town, but the old knee is acting up again," she said, patting her braced leg for emphasis before continuing.

"Anyways, there's a few houses up there that would just kill these joints if I tried delivering to them today. Especially this one house on the east side. Real big, super long driveway. Can't miss it. And I figured I would stay around here today and hold down the fort, handle walk in deliveries and pickups, you know."

Jamie could see what she was getting at. The brace on her knee could only help the older woman so much, and on certain days it just became too much of a pain. She'd long earned his respect and sympathy for being able to do such a physically demanding job with her injury. He had no problem letting her have an easy day, especially when she never complained and so seldom asked for any help.

"You want me to deliver these?" He asked, his smile barely visible behind the tower of boxes. The slap she delivered to his back made them topple from his arms as he helplessly tried to grab them again, only managing the clutch his hat to his chest as it was knocked off as well. He should have expected that, honestly, and could only hope there was nothing breakable in any of them.

"You read my mind!" She grinned, with Jamie letting out a wheezing laugh. "I owe ya one."

"It's no problem." Jamie managed, bending down to gather the packages back up while Barbara helped. "You don't owe me anything, I don't mind."

"You're such a good kid." Barbara told Jamie, helping him back up after he'd somehow managed to stack the deliveries in his arms once again. As she walked out of the mail room with him, she hummed to herself, placing one hand to her chin before adding, "A little warning about this one, though…"

She tapped the top package as she spoke, prompting Jamie to give her an odd look. He wasn't sure if she could quite see it, but she elaborated regardless.

"Kid orders something every other week. Not much for conversation. At all." She added flatly. "One of those rich kids. Kinda rude, if I'm being honest. Don't take it too personally."

"I'll try not to." he chuckled, managing a quick wave before nearly dropping the boxes again. He struggled to open the door for a few short moments, even resorting to using his foot before Barbara stopped her snickering long enough to take pity on him and opening it, wishing him well before closing the door behind him. He'd not gotten two steps from the building before she burst out of the door, making Jamie drop the boxes in alarm.

"I almost forgot! On your way there, could you put up some of these flyers?" She asked, handing a stack of papers to Jamie, who looked them over. They were advertising the Fall Festival that coming weekend, a yearly event that many of the citizens of Beach City attended. Jamie looked forward to it, and while he wouldn't be helping out this year as he often did, he still planned to attend.

"Doesn't word of mouth get the information around faster?" He asked, offering a crooked smile at Barbara's exaggerated sigh. The town didn't have that many residents, and you were more likely to hear about something in passing rather than from a paper on a wall.

"It does, but Mayor Dewey insists on hanging these up. Pretty unnecessary if you ask me, but he's the mayor, so who am I to say? I was thinking about taking my Sadie there! Though if I'm being honest, she doesn't seem too enthused. Kids, what can ya do? I know that boy she likes is going, but it's with Dewey's son, at least from what I heard." She seemed to catch herself rambling on, letting out a harsh laugh. "Went off on a tangent there. I'm not piling too much work on you am I, kiddo?"

"No, not at all! I'll get these up around town." Jamie said, rolling them up and slipping them into his mail bag. It was a bit overwhelming, but he didn't mind the extra work load, and he knew Barbara would appreciate the effort.

"You're too good to me, Jamie! What did I do to deserve you?" She asked, clapping a hand on his shoulder heavily, making the mailman's knees nearly give out. She could be overzealous at times, but her loud personality was something he'd grown accustomed to. He gave a final goodbye after she helped pick up the packages again and, at last, set out on his way.

Once he'd gotten a good distance down the sidewalk, with the hills laid out before him, he set the packages down with some trouble, taking a deep breath as he leaned on them with his arm. The Autumn chill did nothing to quell the heat of the sun on him. After catching his breath, he felt his curiosity gnawing at him as he let his eyes shyly wander over to the top package while rubbing his neck. A heartbeat later he caved and took a glance at the first name on the top package.

 _ _'Kevin'__

He didn't know a Kevin, but he'd try to keep Barbara's warning in mind. Besides, by the looks of the addresses on the rest of the deliveries, of which there were four in total, he'd be the last one on Barbara's route he'd take care of. Then he could get started on his own. Maybe this would be fun. And if not, it would certainly be interesting.

(-)

Barbara, despite her tendency to dramatize and embellish, certainly hadn't been exaggerating when warning Jamie of the length of the driveway, and the mailman could certainly understand why she'd not be able to walk it when her knee was acting up. It was a winding, twisting and meandering path up to the front of a large house, and edged with hedges and flower bushes. It was a noticeable contrast to the houses that Jamie usually delivered to, and it was almost intimidating to the mailman as its shadow fell over him while he strolled up the steps to the front door.

He paused briefly, his hand hovering over the doorbell as he hesitated for just a moment before forcing himself to press it. He stepped back, holding the package with one hand while he reached into his mail bag to retrieve his clipboard.

Just as he managed to, the door swung open, with Jamie's eyes shifting upward. He prepared his normal greeting for the individual, smile ready. But the tightening of his throat made that impossible, and he became all too aware of the blush that fired across his cheeks, making his face burn and mind race.

Leaning lazily against the doorframe was a young man, around his own age if Jamie had to guess. Brunette haired and fair skinned, with dark eyes that were focused on his phone as he texted someone. He hadn't yet looked up at the mailman, who stood stiffly, package clutched tightly to his chest. As though that would succeed in concealing his pounding heartbeat. The clipboard was held flat against the package, but Jamie had yet to bring himself to even get the man's attention.

When the stranger finally cast a quick glance up from his phone, not a moment passed before his head immediately snapped back up, eyebrows raising in surprise.

The look Jamie received did nothing to help his ever present blush subside, cheeks still burning as he remained frozen. After a few seconds of awkward silence, something in him gave and he pushed the package forward, managing to get out a sentence before his words failed him again.

"Are you Kevin? This is for you!" His voice came out uncharacteristically high, and given different circumstances, the mailman may have found it funny. But the boy in front of him made his mind fuzzy and difficult to focus on trying to come off casual. Instead, he'd yelled shrilly and had shoved the package in the poor guy's face. Outwardly, he looked like a nervous mess. Inside, he was screaming.

It was a feeling he knew well - he'd felt the same with Garnet, though he'd long since moved on, and had promised himself he wouldn't be one to fall for someone so easily again.

Of course, that was a promise easily kept when not faced with someone who's eyes smoldered into him and shook him to his core, and he did all of this without saying a word to him and oh God he was doing it again -

Kevin's gaze switched from Jamie to the box presented to him. A smirk spread over his handsome face, and Jamie could have sworn he felt his heartbeat falter while Kevin signed for it.

"Never seen you before. You new to this gig, baby?" Kevin asked, adding a flourish as he finished his signature, taking the delivery and setting it on a table beside the door, just out of sight for Jamie. What little bit of the house's interior that the mailman did manage to glimpse - best he could while his eyes were frozen to Kevin - looked just as elegant as the outside.

Jamie drew a blank, continuing to stare at him. What had he called him? When reality seemed to catch back up with him, he blinked dumbly.

"I … No, no. I just don't usually deliver to this area." Kevin hummed at Jamie's answer, offering a smirk that made the boy's knees weaken.

"That's too bad. So, got a name to go with that pretty face?" Jamie faltered with his response, aware that he was gaping at Kevin. It was an unexpected question. And compliment.

"Ah, Jamie! Jamie, it's Jamie." Once again, he received a smile from Kevin that brought a new wave of heat to his face and renewed the racing of his heart. Any longer and it would burst, he was sure of it.

"I should… I should really get going." Jamie finally stuttered, wringing his now free hands around the strap of his mail bag. Now that he had nothing occupying his hands, he didn't know what to do with himself.

"What's the rush?" Kevin asked, leaning forward a fraction.

"Well, its just, you see, I still have a lot of mail to deliver." Jamie admitted, shifting his weight as he stood on the heels of his feet. Kevin quirked an eyebrow at him, shrugging his shoulders before closing his door and stepping out onto the stoop.

"I'll go with you."

"Excuse me?"

"I'll go with you." Kevin repeated, offering Jamie a lopsided smirk. And was it his imagination, or did Kevin wink at him?

"Really? I mean, I don't mind!" Jamie quickly added, holding his hands out to assure Kevin. "Its just not exactly exciting. I'm sure you have other things to do."

Jamie may have been purposely trying to make his job seem boring - he enjoyed it immensely, and would normally never speak ill of it. But the thought of Kevin going with him made him sweat. He knew he'd end up making a fool of himself with how he was already acting - God help him if he started reciting Shakespeare to him.

"Later." Kevin admitted, slipping his hands into his pockets, making Jamie's train of thought crash back into the present.

"What?"

"You said you thought I had other things to do. But that's not until later this afternoon. I can spare an hour for you, baby."

"Oh… Alright. I'm just delivering boring mail!" Jamie tried to insist. Despite his attempts to dissipate Kevin's interest, he didn't seem to be changing his mind. In fact, in response, Kevin leaned towards him, making the mailman catch his breath.

Winking, Kevin responded simply with, "I'll make it interesting," before starting towards the end of his ludicrously long driveway. Once he remembered to breathe, Jamie trailed after him.

 _ _What was happening?__

(-)

A cool ocean breeze swept through the beach side city, with the salty smell of the sea wafting over Jamie. He'd paused briefly, leaning comfortably against one of the metal beams under the Beach City water tower to look over the deliveries he had yet to make and the mail not yet distributed. He'd done every street except for one.

Usually, the scent of the ocean was relaxing for the mailman, and on beautiful days like this, should he be making good time on his route, he would find himself on the beach, standing along the water's edge and gazing out at the horizon while waves gently lapped at the sandy shore.

But today was anything but usual, and despite the fresh crispness of the cool air, Jamie's face was burning. Any hotter and he would burst into flames, he was convinced.

Kevin, for someone who'd flirted so shamelessly back at his house, had been quiet as the two of them strolled throughout the heart of Beach City.

 _ _Suspiciously__ quiet.

That wasn't to say the playful smirks and half-lidded looks Kevin gave over his shoulder at Jamie didn't make his heart melt, but it had lead to him letting his guard down.

That's why it came as such a surprise when Kevin, who'd previously been watching Jamie check his delivery list from a distance of about ten feet, arms folded casually behind his head and looking so unassuming, was suddenly beside him, his voice a purr in Jamie's ear.

"Where to next, mailman?"

Jamie nearly choked on his words, feeling a noticeable chill run through him. When had he gotten so close?!

Fumbling with the clipboard, he cleared his throat, tripping over his sentences when he did manage to answer him.

"I, ah, the Pizzas! Kofi Pizza, actually. But he's at work so, we'll go to his house. Down the street!" He offered a nervous smile to Kevin, completely aware that he was rambling, and how foolish he was acting. In response, Kevin quirked an eyebrow at him before letting out a quiet breath of a laugh.

"You're cute."

Jamie stared, his blush creeping down well past his collar as he held his clipboard against his chest while his heart hammered against it.

Oh, right, he needed to breathe.

"Lead the way, baby." Kevin added after a pause, breaking Jamie out of his daze.

"Right! Right, right, this way!" Oh, his voice cracked, wonderful. And he heard Kevin snickering as he began to walk down the sidewalk. He could scream into his pillow about that later.

It wasn't that Jamie couldn't handle attention - he was an actor, after all. On stage in front of an audience, he flourished, he was alive. He lived for the attention when performing under lights, and hopefully someday, on a screen. It's where he belonged, and his days of stage fright had long since left him. So attention itself wasn't the issue. But this was a vastly different kind of scenario.

With Kevin, it felt personal, intimate even. Jamie wasn't on stage, or in costume. He was in his uniform, being himself, doing a job that most people found monotonous, except for possibly Steven. Kevin's focus was solely on him, and Jamie didn't know what to do with himself.

Put him on stage in front of a hundred scrutinizing eyes, no problem. In front of just Kevin and his flirtations? Apparently he just became a hot mess.

"Oh!" Jamie had been so lost in his own contemplation, having fallen into a steady rhythm of placing envelopes in the mailboxes he'd gone by, that he'd nearly walked past the Pizza household. His sudden stop had Kevin, who'd been walking just behind him to his right, nearly stumble into him, earning the mailman an odd look.

"Sorry! Uh, wait here." Jamie rushed to say, pulling himself together as he went up to the house.

The Pizzas lived modestly (especially compared to Kevin), just a few houses down from Vidalia - a fact Jamie was grateful for, since that day the older woman was his next delivery. The doorbell chimed, and only a few moments later the mailman was met with a small elderly woman opening the door.

"Jamie! It's so good to see you again." Nanefua greeted warmly, opening the door and earning a heartfelt smile from the mailman.

He was honestly grateful he rarely had to deal with Kofi himself, since he was almost always at the restaurant. Instead, Nanefua would be the one to sign for any deliveries. She was often laid back and friendly, while her son was uptight and argumentative, even at the best of times. Kofi had even gotten into spats with Barbara over accusations of his mail being mishandled. Jamie just tried to stay out of the line of fire as best he could.

"Hi, Nanefua. It's good to see you too. I have Kofi's package." The small woman accepted it with a nod, signing for it after she'd set the box on the ground by her feet.

"His new pizza cutter. For weeks he's been pestering Jenny to sharpen the one he already has, but it's beyond repair. He knows that, he's just stubborn! So I took him by the ear and said, 'Kofi, you need to stop being such a cheapskate and just by a new one!' And I'm his mother, so he has to listen to me."

Jamie snorted, covering his mouth. If nothing else, Nanefua had the best stories to tell whenever he came by.

"Well, I hope it helps." he chuckled, hands returning to the strap on his mail bag.

"It had better. If he tries to complain one time, I'll whoop his butt." She threatened before giving Jamie a concerned look as she poked his stomach, her accent thick with worry as she spoke up again.

"You're so skinny, Jamie. You're a twig! Have you been eating alright? Let me get you something for the rest of your walk."

"No, no! I'm fine, Nanefua. Honest." He insisted, holding his hands out to stop her as she turned to go back inside. This happened every time he delivered while she was home, and while he appreciated her concern, as it did really warm his heart that she worried over him, he didn't want to put the elderly woman through any trouble. Though she would ignore him at times and give him something regardless.

"You need to eat more, you're too thin." She told him, still looking like she wanted to go inside and bring him food.

"I promise, I'll eat later." He told her, offering a reassuring smile. That seemed to convince her, though only barely. Instead, her attention was caught by something behind the mailman.

"Is that young man with you, Jamie?" The mailman felt the heat return to his cheeks. How had he forgotten Kevin was waiting for him? Turning around, he saw the other man, arms folded, watching the pair impatiently.

"Yeah, he's with me." Jamie answered, adjusting his hat. "He's… keeping me company on my route today!"

That was technically true.

"I don't appreciate that look." Nanefua said, putting her hands on her hips, walking with Jamie to her mailbox. Kevin had made no point in hiding his annoyance at having been kept waiting, which the older woman noticed was more directed at her. But he did give Jamie a crooked smile when he approached.

"Hey, baby. What took so long?"

Jamie wasn't sure how to describe the noise he made - something of a high pitched squeak, certainly not a sound he'd ever made before. Never before heard by man, that was a good description. He pulled his hat down over his eyes, hoping to conceal the blush as he turned on his heel and began to head to Vidalia's house

"Ah, I'll be right back!" He called, leaving the two alone, with Nanefua looking confused and Kevin smug.

When he was far enough down the sidewalk, and realized no, the earth was not going to swallow him whole, no matter how much he willed it to, he brushed his bangs out of his face, placing his hat back on his head as it was supposed to be. That had to be intentional, what Kevin did. He'd be lucky if Nanefua didn't tease him relentlessly next time he delivered mail to the Pizza residence over what had just happened.

Jamie took a deep breath and held it before releasing it slowly, and action not too unlike the exercises he'd do before doing a play to relax, as he walked up Vidalia's cracked and paint stained driveway.

Her garage was open, as it always was, with purple curtain-like sheets covering the opening. Vidalia herself was seated outside on a stool, painting a cutout she'd managed to get onto her easel by some miracle of ingenuity. With her overalls splotched with paint and her face worn with age, she looked every part the seasoned mother she was as she turned to look at Jamie with a tired but welcoming smile.

"Hey Jamie. Lookin' a little red there. Hat not blocking out the sun today? Or was it that boy I saw following you around?" She asked, pausing her painting when he stopped in front of her.

"Uh, well it's not the sun." He said, hunching his shoulders after he'd freed her package. She was a mother, she could spot a lie easily, so there was no point in trying. He could just decide not to explain to her the full story. Besides, she could probably tell anyways.

She hummed knowingly, giving him a side eyed smile before getting off of the chipped and peeling stool.

"My new paintbrushes. Been waitin' for these. Mine are on their last legs." She said, hoisting the box under her arm with ease. She'd grown used to carrying large things under her arms, having carried baskets full of her both of her sons laundry for years now.

"Wanna see what I'm working on? It's for the festival this weekend. Dewey commissioned me. Guess he promised to handle props this year."

Jamie chewed his lip for a moment, thinking it over. Nanefua hadn't seemed too fond of Kevin just from a glance, but he did love seeing Vidalia's artwork. One minute wouldn't hurt.

Vidalia pulled back the sheet for Jamie, ducking into the dark garage after him before flicking on a light and gesturing to the far wall.

"Not too bad, if I do say so myself." They were cutouts, scarecrows, and amalgamations of cardboard, assembled and painted to look like some of the Gems that Steven and the other Crystal Gems had fought.

"They look amazing, Vidalia!" Jamie gushed, making the old painter laugh. She really was skilled, and Jamie wasn't shy about letting her know about how amazing all of her work was.

"Scarecrows aren't really my usual thing, but I thought I'd branch out, y'know?" She said, folding her arms as she looked at them while Jamie moved closer to admire the craftsmanship up close, continuing with, "They'll be placed throughout the corn maze the festival has. I'm going to have Sour Cream help put some of them up, at least before the rave he has tomorrow. Just have one more to finish."

"They really are fantastic, Vidalia. You did a great job!" Jamie told her, giving her a wide grin. Her work was truly inspiring.

"I can't take all the credit. Thank Amethyst too! She was my model. I didn't know what half of these Gems looked like until she shape shifted for me." Vidalia chuckled, heading back out of the garage with Jamie in tow.

"Steven mentioned she models for you a lot." Jamie recalled, thankful his hat shielded his eyes from the sun as he watched Vidalia climb back onto her stool.

"Ain't no better model than her." She smiled. Turning her head away from Jamie, he saw her give an amused snort.

"I think granny over there and your shadow are getting into it."

"My… shadow?" Jamie asked, looking over. He heard arguing…

Kevin and Nanefua were visible from Vidalia's driveway, and while Jamie couldn't make out what they were saying, he could tell it wasn't a friendly conversation by Nanefua's angry hand gestures and the way Kevin seemed to flippantly wave them away.

"Kevin! Sorry Vidalia, I'll see you later!" Jamie told her, panic rising as he ran back to the pair, with Vidalia calling out, "see ya, Jamie." as he did.

 _ _Two seconds__! He had left them alone for two seconds, and Kevin had somehow started a fight with arguably one of the friendliest people in all of Beach City. Who did that?! Kevin, apparently. At least Jamie got to see that abrasive personality Barbara had warned him about.

"It's rude to - oh, hello Jamie." Nanefua's stern tone changed when Jamie got back, brightening when she saw him. Kevin didn't even have enough time to look at him before he was being ushered away, with Jamie firmly pushing him down the sidewalk by his shoulders.

"Sorry Nanefua!" he called over his shoulder, giving her an apologetic smile and brief wave before his hand returned to Kevin's shoulder. He didn't stop leading Kevin away until they were around the corner, in sight of the town square, with Mayor Dewey's… questionable statue of himself coming into view.

"So, do you always pick fights with little old ladies, or was today special?" Jamie asked, finally letting Kevin go to rest his hands on his own waist. Kevin huffed when he turned around to face him, folding his arms in a clear act of defiance.

"You think I'm going to let some old bag tell me how to behave? She doesn't even know me. Plus, she started it."

"Firstly, Nanefua isn't an old bag," Jamie told him, making Kevin roll his eyes, "she's probably the most active senior citizen I've ever met. Granted, I don't know too many…"

Kevin snickered at the way Jamie's sentence trailed off, earning an unamused glare from the mailman.

"And secondly, you-," whatever Jamie had found the confidence to say was forgotten when Kevin took his hands, pulling him forward and making Jamie practically trip into his chest, staring wide eyed at Kevin as their noses nearly touched.

"I know, baby. __I'm just the worst__."

The situation hadn't fully processed in the aspiring actor's mind, and when it did, reality hit him like lightening. He breathed in sharply as he quickly closed his mouth, which had been hanging open in shock, while stepping back and gripping the strap of his mail bag so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"I-I wasn't, I wasn't going to…," Jamie floundered with his response, with Kevin watching him struggle.

Jamie really was cute when he blushed…

"I wasn't going to say that." Jamie finally got out, his gaze falling to his shoes as he tried to find the right words. "What I was going to say is that you're just a little… overwhelming."

"Better than being underwhelming and a nobody." Kevin countered, nudging Jamie with his shoulder. "I can't help it if I stand out."

He was confident, Jamie would give him that. It was admirable. He could see where Barbara was coming from, certainly, but there was something about Kevin that just drew his attention. Besides the obvious.

"Well," Jamie started, changing the subject as he pulled out the flyers, "since you've already agitated one of my deliveries, and you did insist on coming with me, could you help me with this? It's the last thing I need to do, then you can go to whatever you had planned for today."

Kevin made a face initially, clearly not interested. When his glare did nothing to faze Jamie, he relented, giving an overdramatic sigh. It was hard to say no when Jamie was looking at him so expectantly.

"Fine, whatever, I'll help… what the hell am I helping with?"

Jamie showed him the flyers. They each had a stack. They were cheesy looking and not exactly something that would get someone on board if they were on the fence about attending the seasonal event - especially when the biggest thing it was advertising was having more corn.

"A festival?" Kevin drawled as he took the top page off of the stack, scanning it with a bored expression before trying to hand it back. "Not my style, cutie."

Jamie had to force his voice to remain steady when he replied. He still wasn't over the constant pet names.

"I wasn't showing it to you to advertise. Also, I know the flyer isn't exactly selling it, but it's always fun! And Vidalia did some great props for it this year."

"Who?"

"Vidalia," Jamie repeated, "the woman I just - ah, not important, help me put these up! Please."

Kevin groaned, letting his head fall back and his shoulders slouch before taking the first stack from Jamie, clearly annoyed but resolute in his decision.

"You're lucky you're cute."

Jamie felt his excitement rise, and it (along with Kevin's flattery) drew out a giggle from the mailman, who immediately covered his mouth in hopes that Kevin hadn't heard, before going his own way to plaster them around the boardwalk. Honestly, he'd expected Kevin to refuse, so it was a nice surprise.

His day had just been full of surprises.

As Kevin hung the flyers, not using much thought as to where on the boardwalk they went, he glanced at Jamie every so often. When he could catch a glimpse of him, anyways.

Jamie was… different. That was for sure. Vastly different than the people the young man often showed an interest in. He was open, friendly, and he seemed very genuine about everything he did. Kevin knew a lot of people he would describe as 'fake'. But Jamie seemed as real as someone could be. Not to mention he loved seeing the mailman blush, which was pretty damn easy to do.

And somehow, against all odds, he'd gotten him to do __manual labor__. Maybe hell had frozen over and Kevin just wasn't aware yet.

"Hey Jamie," he called, leaning against the Funland Arcade, hands in his jacket pockets as he saw Jamie lift his head in acknowledgment, "all finished, babe."

Even from a distance he could see Jamie's face turn scarlet, making Kevin smirk. He'd really have to see what else he could say to get a rise out of him.

Jamie put up the last of his own flyers, jogging over to him and admiring their handiwork.

"Thank you! Barbara is going to really appreciate this." Jamie beamed, clearly taking pride in their accomplishment. Kevin didn't care enough to ask who that was, only assuming it was whoever asked him to put up the damn papers in the first place.

"So, any plans now?" Kevin asked. There was a tone to his voice that made the other man falter for a moment.

"Just going to head home and change. I'm not a fan of wearing my uniform any longer than I need to." Jamie admitted. It was the first thing he did after finishing his route - going home and changing. No matter how hot or cold it was, or how early or late in the afternoon, he just didn't enjoy wearing his work clothes when he wasn't, well, working. "After that… I'm not sure. Didn't you have plans?"

"Shit." Jamie was right, and Kevin took a quick glance at his phone to check the time. This had lasted longer than he expected. He wasn't complaining, for sure, but he had lost track of the time when with the mailman.

"Too late?" Jamie guessed, feeling a twinge of guilt. At his worry, Kevin shrugged.

"I've got a few more minutes to spare." Kevin's mouth curved up into a smile as he pushed off of the wall to lean towards Jamie.

"I'll walk you home."

"Home?" Jamie asked, blinking. "It's more of an, well not more of, it's an apartment."

Not exactly the most glamorous living situation, but on his salary, he couldn't afford anything more. He didn't mind - the living space was small, but he'd made it his own. And it made for a nice underdog story for when he became a movie star - coming from nothing, living in a small, cramped apartment, only to one day rise to fame and glory. By then, he'd be able to have a house as big as Kevin's, if he wanted. Though he'd probably stick with simple, humble living. Jamie didn't see himself as the type to own a lot of flashy things or flaunt wealth.

He wasn't fully aware just how different he was from Kevin in that regard just yet.

"I'll walk you to your apartment then." Kevin corrected, his tempting smile still present. "Where is it?"

Jamie gestured behind him - the Beach City apartments faced the city square, with large, rectangular windows giving a view of the beach for those walking down the halls past the rooms.

Unfortunately, the rooms themselves faced the opposite way, so all Jamie got to look at was buildings and hills.

"Really, I can just walk there myself." Jamie told Kevin, but the hand that pressed against the small of his back, urging him forward as Kevin began to walk quickly hushed any more resistance.

When they arrived, Kevin looked around the inside of the apartment building, unimpressed while Jamie retrieved his keys. While he unlocked his door, Kevin let his eyes drift over to him. They almost seemed to glow with mirth when his lips curled up. He had an idea.

"So… today was interesting." Jamie laughed, taking his hat off to run his free hand through his hair. Kevin had said he would make it interesting, so he kept to his word. "But I enjoyed it. I never have someone to walk with me, or talk to when I do this. Oh, the life of a lonely, lowly mailman - a narrow path I walk alone! But walk alone I must!"

Well, at least he hadn't quoted Shakespeare at him. It was the small victories.

Kevin… Kevin was something else - he was certainly unlike anyone else Jamie had met. And he had a way of making Jamie just unravel and go weak in the knees, even more so than Garnet had. With Garnet, Jamie had been the one trying to shower her with affections. This was the reverse, and that had never happened to him before. It was unexpected. And exciting…

"Anyways," Jamie said, turning to face him, "I just wanted to say thank-"

Kevin's hands braced themselves on either side of Jamie's head, against the wood of his door, a playful glint in his dark eyes as Jamie's heart leapt in his throat and his breathing faltered. Kevin was close to him again, as close as he'd been in the town square. His eyes seeming to blaze into Jamie's like embers, the smirk he'd worn so often that day present once again.

"If you enjoyed it, why let this be a one time thing? How about a date?"

Jamie's thoughts hadn't caught up with what was happening. Rose red blush had once again bloomed across his tan cheeks, but the rest of him felt chilled. If it wasn't for his back against the door, he would have collapsed to the floor, and his heart felt like a caged bird trying desperately to free itself. His eyes had locked with Kevin's - he couldn't tear them away, even if he wanted to.

Not that he did.

His tongue felt numb when he tried to speak, but miraculously, he formed words.

"A-a date?"

"You can even choose where." Kevin smiled. How was he so easily able to make Jamie just turn into complete mush like this?

"Come on, baby," he continued, leaning forward just a fraction while tilting his head, almost pleadingly. His voice had become a low, sultry purr again. Jamie could smell the mint on his breath, and the cologne he was wearing; it was almost dizzying as he breathed it in, like he was under a spell.

 _ _"Say yes."__

All of his thoughts seemed to hit a dead stop, and his mind went completely blank when he finally responded.

"O-okay."

Kevin's smirk tempered back into a smile as he quirked an eyebrow at him. He was still expecting Jamie to choose where.

Suddenly his thoughts were racing again until he just said the first thing that came to mind.

"The Fall Festival?"

He was stupid. __He was stupid!__ Kevin had specifically said earlier that he wasn't into events like that! But it was all Jamie could think of because he kept being reminded of it all day, and what else was he going to say when he thought his heart was going to stop and his breathing had quickened so much and he was still so dizzy and Kevin was so close and he was excited and nervous and thrilled, and it was happening again! And Kevin was never going to say-

"Sure."

Jamie felt like he'd been struck, blinking before he processed what Kevin said.

"Really?"

"Yeah." Kevin smiled, shrugging, "This weekend right? I'll be there Saturday afternoon."

He stepped back, and Jamie finally felt like he could take a deep breath. Which he nearly choked on when Kevin took his chin in his hand.

"I'll see you there, Jamie."

Finally - finally - Kevin stepped away fully, and there was a much softer smile under his glittering eyes this time before he walked down the hall. He was late for his plans, but he couldn't give less of a shit at this point. He'd already been late by the time he checked the time back in the town square anyways.

Jamie was left leaning against his apartment door, his head falling back against the wood as he stared at the cracked ceiling, one hand resting on his unlocked doorknob while the other was against the side of his head. His mind was left reeling as he tried to piece together what the __hell just happened.__

Kevin… Kevin had asked him on a date. And he'd said yes.

He'd said __yes__.

He had a date! He had a date with Kevin! He had a date with Kevin this Saturday!

No matter how many times Jamie repeated it in his mind, it didn't seem to be true. He felt joy begin to bubble up inside him, forming into delighted giggles before full on elated laughter.

The doorknob he was still gripping began to turn ever so slightly, and before Jamie realized it, the door had swung open behind his back, turning his laughter into a cry of alarm as he fell back hit the ground hard, knocking the breath out of him and forming stars in his vision.

So pretty accurate to how he felt right then.


	2. Salted Caramel

To say that Jamie had rushed his deliveries that Saturday morning would be an understatement, and the mailman could comfortably say he'd never finished his route that fast before in all his life.

All week, his thoughts had been wandering back towards his upcoming date; what he'd do, what he'd say, how he'd act. To say he was anxious would have been putting it lightly. Jamie couldn't even recall the last time he'd been on a date with someone, let alone with someone he'd just met.

He still couldn't believe he'd said yes.

The week seemed to fly by within an instant, and before Jamie knew it, the day he'd been obsessing over had arrived. He'd convinced himself that, now that he knew what to expect with Kevin, meaning his flirtations, he'd be able to hold himself together just a bit better. That didn't make the fluttering in his stomach whenever he thought back to their exchange at his apartment door any less persistent, however.

He'd looked for him during his route and after work all week, but he never caught a glimpse of the other man, though it certainly wasn't for lack of trying. Kevin just didn't seem to hang around the city at all, and it was something Jamie was curious to ask him about when he saw him today.

For now, Jamie was standing alone beside the makeshift entrance to the festival, tugging needlessly at the hem of his black shirt while watching for any sign of Kevin as throngs of people moved past him. He only realized now, exposed to the chill of Fall, and when not running about and getting sweaty while delivering mail, how silly a decision it was to wear something short sleeved. He'd at least had the sense to wear long pants, but in retrospect he should have worn his red turtleneck. Everyone else who passed by was far more sensibly dressed than he was, and he was regretting his choice in clothing as he felt a shiver run down his spine.

In his defense, he'd been far too focused on arriving at the festival on time, as Jamie was nothing else if not punctual. The afternoon was when Kevin said he'd be there, so Jamie hadn't been too concerned for his choice of dress. He was usually so detail oriented, but with thoughts of Kevin and their date filling his head, even he could be made absentminded.

Speaking of, where was he?

Jamie chewed nervously on his lower lip, looking around again. He had seen no sign of him, and he'd been waiting for nearly twenty minutes. Jamie knew he'd said Saturday; he'd replayed the entire scenario with Kevin asking him out an embarrassing number of times in his head, and knew he hadn't misremembered. Maybe he was running late? Or he'd gotten lost? Kevin wouldn't have stood him up, would he? No! No, no he wouldn't do that… right?

Jamie could feel the insecurities getting to him again, and tried to push them down, instead focusing intently on the golden and red leaves that blew past the legs of people as they walked by him and towards the barn. The one he decided to give his full attention to drifted gently against the grassy ground before coming to settle on the water of the pond Lapis and Peridot had made, sending gentle ripples to the edge as it floated serenely across the glassy surface.

The barn… it wasn't the usual location for the Fall Festival. Normally, the festival was held outside of town, with several acres of farmland being rented out to the town by an elderly farmer couple, who would subsequently transform their property. Inviting vendors and putting up decorations, and even turning their corn field into a maze.

This year, however, Steven had suggested - well, more like volunteered - Lapis Lazuli and Peridot to have it at their barn. His argument for the decision was so that the two Gems could become better acquainted with the humans of Beach City. Jamie had met them briefly once before, when the food trucks had been introduced during the city's off season, so he felt it was a nice sentiment on Steven's part. Though from what the boy had told him, he needed to do an awful lot of convincing with the two Gems before they were on board. And if getting them to agree was hard, having Mayor Dewey sign off on the idea had been even worse.

Apparently, he thought that the family friendly festival being overseen and held at the residence of the Gem responsible for stealing the ocean once wasn't the best idea.

But somehow, against all odds, Steven had convinced the eternally anxious mayor. Jamie had no idea how, but Steven had a way with making people see the positives of any situation.

And looking around now, at the excitement on people's faces, and the joy from laughing children as they ventured into the maze, towards the vendors and games, he could tell that any apprehension that people may have had about the change of location had melted away faster than snow in June. Lapis, Peridot and Steven had put a lot of hard work and effort into making the little farm suitable for a festival, and that dedication showed. How Dewey could have ever doubted them was a mystery, but it had lead to him being the most involved with the town he had been in a while.

While all of that was charming to Jamie, and he was sure to let Steven know just how good a job he'd done when he saw him, it did raise a question: what if Kevin didn't know where the festival was being held this year? The flyers had, along with it's proud proclamation of more corn, listed the new address for the festival this season. But Jamie had now worked himself up over the idea of Kevin not having paid attention. His mind was filled with never ending 'what if's as he stood frozen to the spot, worriedly tugging and twisting at his shirt. It was a bad habit of his, a nervous tick, and if he didn't stop he'd stretch it out.

He'd become blind and deaf to the world as he let his troubled thoughts take over, not even noticing when Kevin did walk up behind him, watching Jamie with a look of amusement.

Jamie only became aware that he was there when he felt the hands on his shoulders and that familiar teasing voice in his ear, with Kevin's breath ghosting over his neck when he spoke.

"You miss me?"

Jamie jumped in surprise, spinning around to face him, thusly pulling out of Kevin's grasp, who put his hands in his jacket pockets and gave Jamie a half smile.

"Kevin! You kinda caught me off guard." Jamie laughed, rubbing the back of his neck while scarlet creeped across his cheeks. Kevin was wearing the same jacket he'd had on the day he'd met him - at least he'd had enough sense to dress warmly.

"I tend to have that effect on people." Kevin said, winking at Jamie before looking past him at the festival. He still didn't look thrilled about the location, but he didn't let that deter him from flashing the other man a toothy grin.

"Shall we, Jamie baby?"

Kevin was ever as much the flirt today as he'd been a week ago, and Jamie was fighting back the urge to turn into a giggling mess. Instead, the excitement he'd tried to quell came bubbling back to the surface, brimming over and manifesting in Jamie grabbing Kevin's arm and eagerly pulling him behind him past the overhanging sign, missing the startled noise Kevin made as he stumbled after him.

Jamie's shyness towards Kevin seemed to have died down a bit since last he'd seen him.

Once closer to the stalls and other entertainment, Jamie finally let go of his arm. The vendors had set up on the left side of the barn, on the other side of the little pond (or as Steven called it, the smaller than average sized lake) and just past the exit to the corn maze. Bales of hay and Jack-o-lanterns were scattered all about, and he caught a glimpse of Steven himself making his way into the maze excitedly. Some of the vendors and attractions he recognized from the previous festivals - stalls for food, like caramel apples and corn on the cob, among other sweet and savory treats, like cinnamon cider and slices of homemade pie.

Aside from food and refreshments, there was apple bobbing, which he noticed Amethyst making a bee-line for and dragging a reluctant Pearl with her, face painting, and craft making, just to name a few. The aroma of the freshly cooked treats filled the air and Jamie's lungs as he breathed it in. Despite the sharp coolness as the wind picked up, the familiar and comforting scents had a pleasant warmth spreading through him.

As tempting as it was to immediately head over to get food, the area was too crowded for Jamie's liking at the moment. Kevin was standing just behind him, watching the aspiring actor taking in all the sights, sounds and smells.

"What do you think so far?" Jamie asked suddenly, a hopeful smile on his face. He was still kicking himself for choosing the festival of all places for their date. He just hoped that it would be something they both equally enjoyed.

"It's alright," Kevin said, shrugging nonchalantly before resting his hands on his waist. Still not his idea of a great date, and there was way too much dirt everywhere, but he had let Jamie choose, so he had to live with that.

He'd make up for it with the next date.

"Well, you just haven't done anything yet!" Casting one more wary glance towards the bit of ground where the vendors had taken over, Jamie instead pointed confidently towards the corn maze. The large ears of corn swayed gently in the breeze, with a crudely painted sign placed at the entrance. He recognized the scarecrows and other assorted props Vidalia had worked on popping up all throughout the maze. Outside of her garage and in natural light, they looked even better, and you could see the craftsmanship and love that went into each creation. Even if they were half hidden by corn.

"Why don't we try this first?" He was more than a little excited to actually get the date moving - it had been all he could think about all week, and now that it was here, he wanted to make every second of it count.

"A corn maze?" Kevin snorted indignantly before raising an eyebrow at Jamie's bright smile.

"Yeah! What, is it too _corny_ for you?" It was official, he'd spent too much time with Steven if he'd resorted to puns that bad. Still, the look of utter disdain he received from Kevin had him snickering before he caught Kevin as he tried to walk away, now quite obviously laughing.

"Wait! No more puns, promise! Just go in the maze with me." He said, still letting out a few unashamed giggles. Kevin looked at the him for a moment before rolling his eyes and sighing. A second later and his familiar smirk returned; Jamie became absolute putty in his hands just from the look Kevin gave him.

"Alright, maze it is then." Kevin said, extending his hand forward, which Jamie looked at curiously. Was he suggesting they…?

"Let's hold hands." Kevin answered the question Jamie was asking himself, and succeeded in making the other man turn bright red within an instant. Something Kevin was secretly taking delight in.

"Oh, uh, really?" His voice had gone high again, and Jamie found himself biting the inside of his cheek from the embarrassment that started swelling in him.

"You don't wanna get lost, do you?" Kevin asked, his eyelids falling half mast while he smiled at him, catching his chin with one finger before continuing with, "Not that I wouldn't mind getting lost with you, baby."

Kevin just had a way of making any train of though Jamie had derail, and his mind go blank. No amount of preparing himself throughout the week for the torrent of flirtations he knew to expect from Kevin could have helped him now as he stared back at him, tan cheeks burning hotly and mouth hanging open. He couldn't think of a reply to save his life.

The other man seemed to take his stunned silence as a 'yes', flashing him a charming smile before taking his trembling hand and heading into the maze.

So much for handling Kevin's flirtations better.

Walls of gold surrounded them on all sides, reaching towards the clear blue sky like outstretched hands, and the scarecrows and cutouts were silhouetted against the sun. Once concealed by the walls of the maze, the noise of the outside world seemed to die down, leaving the pair with a sense of privacy. Only the wind seemed to whisper to them as it blew through the skyward corn stalks.

"You still with me, sweetie?" Kevin asked, squeezing Jamie's hand to get his attention. He'd gone dead silent since the two of them had entered the maze, and Jamie was more or less allowing himself to be lead. At the question, however, he seemed to finally come back to his dazed senses.

"I - yeah! Oh, I'm fine!" God, was he bad at lying. But what was he supposed to say? That Kevin left him absolutely star struck, because he was pretty sure the other man knew exactly what he did to him.

Kevin left Jamie feeling like he had electricity running through his veins. It was a rush of energy that the young actor could only equate to the feeling of performing on stage in front of a grand audience. Only Kevin was the sole member of the audience.

If Jamie had to describe what that felt like, he'd say it was intoxicating.

"I never see you around town." Jamie pointed out after a quiet moment, rubbing his arm with his free hand to ward away the chill. "Don't stick close to home?"

He knew for a fact that he hadn't seen Kevin around the city before. There was no way he would have forgotten him, not with the kind of impression he left. Just the sight of him made him unforgettable. He was the kind of person who, for better or worse, would stick in your memory, whether you wanted him to or not.

"Tch, you think I'd be caught dead hanging around this place?" Kevin asked, looking over at Jamie as though he'd asked the dumbest question possible. It made the other man shrug sheepishly, watching the waving stalks of corn contentedly.

So Kevin was more of a drifter. It explained why he never saw him before, then.

"Well, why not? It's a beautiful city." Jamie responded after a brief pause, brushing the fingers on his free hand through the corn stalks while looking over at Kevin, who seemed unconvinced.

He was rather proud he'd held himself back from adding 'with a beautiful guy like you' at the end of his sentence.

"This city is boring." Kevin responded, tugging in the opposite direction than Jamie when they came to a forked path in the maze. The action made Jamie laugh quietly, who was rather surprised when Kevin decided to follow his lead instead. They hadn't bothered grabbing one of the homemade maps on their way in, so they were winging it.

"Boring?" Jamie laughed incredulously at the claim, offering Kevin a look that seemed to be asking if he was serious. "Clearly, you don't know this city like I do."

"You gonna enlighten me then, cutie?" Kevin asked, chuckling at the other man's look of pure determination. Jamie had a contagious kind of excitement about him, and it was fun to watch.

"There'd be no one better to." Jamie replied proudly, adding, "I'll have you know that I starred in and oversaw a play that was all about the founding of this 'boring' city."

"Were you, now?" Kevin asked, "Sounds so exciting."

"Your sarcasm is not appreciated." Jamie told him, but his tone was good natured. "I'm pretty sure that the constant Gem invasions would make this place a little bit interesting. Or are your standards too high?"

Kevin snorted, tugging Jamie closer by his hand until their chests were but an inch apart. He was vaguely aware of the odd occurrences within Beach City and how they were related to Gem activity, but he didn't care about any of it - none of it affected him, so why should he give a shit about it? He had better places to be, like Empire City.

And cute people to meet, like Jamie.

"It's not like it even affects this garbage city, anyways." Kevin said, which Jamie responded in a mock angry tone that he took offense to his statement.

"You don't think the ocean being stolen or a giant hand shaped space ship crashing here counts as affecting us?" Jamie asked, shivering from a particularly strong gust of wind.

"That's all temporary." Kevin replied, waving away Jamie's argument with his free hand. "That stuff lasted for, what, a day? Not exactly what I'd call exciting, baby. No one's ever even been abducted."

Jamie couldn't help but shudder at Kevin's words. That was true, no one had been abducted, and he was grateful for that.

It sounded so awful. He couldn't imagine what it would be like for one of those Homeworld Gems to abduct him. And frankly, he didn't want to dwell on it.

"Well, regardless of what you think, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else." Jamie told Kevin confidently, pulling on his arm to lead him down another direction in the maze while trying to ignore the cold. It would have taken two seconds to grab a coat, but that would have made too much sense.

If it was any consolation to Jamie, Kevin found him to be the only thing worth spending time in Beach City for, now.

(-)

Kevin liked to talk about himself.

Not that Jamie minded, as he found the other man almost magnetic with how he pulled him in with his words. He exuded confidence like Jamie had never seen, and he could only hope he looked as sure of himself when he was before an audience on stage.

They discussed interests, such as Kevin's fondness for dancing, and Jamie explained more about his desire to be an actor, which the two had briefly touched on when he'd mentioned the play he'd done on Beach City's history.

This had prompted Kevin to ask, "So, does that make you a playboy?", which left Jamie sputtering for a response for a good twelve seconds.

But, at least Jamie got Kevin considering attending his next performance, whenever that was. However, suggesting he also come to the next Renaissance Faire, which Jamie always volunteered for, may have been pushing it just a bit. Though the thought of seeing Jamie in tights was tempting to Kevin.

Jamie told him how he always wanted to see a show in Empire City, though he knew he wouldn't be able to afford it with what he earned, not by a long shot. And he didn't even have a suit or tuxedo to wear should the opportunity ever arise. Hell, he'd never even been to Empire City, though Kevin described it in way that Jamie could picture it perfectly.

Other couples passed them by, chatting or arguing about how to read the map. The two of them had even passed Buck and Lars, who Jamie greeted happily. So Barbara had been right about the two going together. He wondered if she'd convinced Sadie to go.

After several minutes of walking, encountering countless dead ends, and Jamie shooting down Kevin's suggestion to just cheat and cut through the walls of corn because that would defeat the entire purpose, Jamie let go of Kevin's hand to try and rub some warmth into his exposed arms. The chill of the air had sunk deep into his bones, leaving him covered in goosebumps.

"Lookin' a little cold there." It hadn't gone unnoticed by Kevin, who Jamie acknowledged with an embarrassed laugh.

"Yeah, didn't exactly dress for the weather, did I?" His nose felt frozen and he had to clench his jaw to keep his teeth from chattering. He expected Kevin to tease him for his absentmindedness.

What he didn't expect was for Kevin to ask, "wanna wear my jacket?"

"No, no, it's yours, you need it! I'll be fine." Jamie tried insisting, but Kevin seemed to ignore the protests, slipping it off his shoulders and helping Jamie into it.

It was soft and warm, with the faint scent of Kevin's cologne still clinging to it. The smell alone was enough to bring Jamie back to that moment a week ago, where the two of them had been at his apartment and Kevin had been so close to him. The memory by itself was enough to cause butterflies in his stomach.

"Looks good on you." Kevin smiled, eyeing him up and down before that playful glint returned to his eye.

"Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll get to see you in more of my clothes."

Well, if that jacket wasn't going to warm him up, the blazing heat in his face certainly would, though Jamie tried to hide his blush best he could by pulling the hood up over his head and hunching his shoulders.

Kevin lowered the hood back down and drew him closer by it, gripping the clothing tightly as his dark eyes burned amorously into Jamie's.

"Why are you hiding that cute face?"

Jamie couldn't tear his eyes away from Kevin's. The warmth spreading through him now made the jacket unnecessary - unbearable even - and he could hear his heart pounding in his ears. The world around them didn't seem to exist to him anymore, and the only things Jamie was aware of was Kevin, and just how close they were to each other.

For just a split second, Jamie let his gaze drop to Kevin's lips, curled up into that signature smirk of his, before meeting his eyes again. It was so brief, but the glance didn't go unnoticed by Kevin. His eyes gleamed with seduction as his smirk turned into an alluring smile and he leaned in closer.

Jamie couldn't breathe, eyelids closing slowly as he became lost in the anticipation, electricity in the air as he leaned in to close the distance between them.

"Hello, Jamie."

Jamie's yell of alarm rang out through the corn maze, easily hurting Kevin's ears as the thespian jumped back, eyes wide as he frantically grabbed at his chest.

 _God, he thought his heart had stopped_.

"Garnet! I didn't, I didn't see you there! Oh gosh…" Breathe, he needed to breathe. He was fifty percent sure he was about to faint.

Once Kevin had gotten over his own shock, the look he gave to the Crystal Gem was damn near murderous. As angry as he may have looked, embarrassment at having been caught seemed to be what made his face turn a deep shade of red, and he was trying his damndest to hide it.

"Always good to see you Garnet." Jamie seemed to finally catch his breath, heart still racing as he started to twist and wring the sleeve on Kevin's jacket.

He still found Garnet beautiful; he didn't think that would ever change. But his feelings for her had become platonic over the course of them knowing each other, and he was happy with that. And even if she wasn't the biggest conversationalist, the two did strike up the odd friendly chat every so often, should she be outside when Jamie delivered mail to the temple. He had fretted over there being awkward tension between them after she made it clear she would never reciprocate his feelings, but there wasn't, and he was beyond thankful for that.

Still, he was aware that there was a particular irony in having the person he used to have such passionate feelings for present when he was with someone else who now had his affections.

"How is the maze? Steven was worried there wasn't enough corn." She questioned. To most, she sounded stoic, but Jamie had learned to recognize when there was a friendly tone to her voice.

"It's great, Garnet." Jamie laughed breathily, offering her a smile. "Steven and the others really outdid themselves!"

Garnet nodded at his response, placing one hand on her hip while gesturing with the other, the gem glinting in the sunlight and making Jamie look in the direction she had pointed.

"The exit is that way. I'm going to scour the maze to make sure there are no other Gem monsters present that could harm humans."

 _To make sure there were no other what now?_

"Steven and I took care of the only one we saw, but we must take precautions." She said firmly before offering the pair a thumbs up as she left them saying, "enjoy the corn" heading off to warn any other people in the maze.

Jamie let out a heavy sigh, shoulders relaxing once she was gone, turning to Kevin. The other man had his arms folded tightly over his chest, glaring at something off to his right. What surprised Jamie the most was the hint of blush in his cheeks.

"I guess that's our cue to leave." Jamie laughed nervously, still fidgeting with the jacket sleeves before forcing his hands to his sides. In response, Kevin seemed to sneer, clearly still agitated.

"Who just walks up to people like that? What was her problem? And how do you know her?" Kevin asked, allowing Jamie to take his hand and head off to where Garnet had told them the maze exit was.

"She does have the tendency to sneak up on you." Jamie joked. Kevin seemed a bit short tempered and impatient, if his feud with Nanefua wasn't proof enough. But thankfully Jamie didn't let it get to him. "She lives in Beach City with the other Gems and Steven. I just so happened to… meet her one day when doing my rounds."

Jamie would never know what compelled him to not keep his mouth shut. It would have been so easy to keep quiet, but after a brief pause, he added, "I used to have a crush on her."

Why? Why, why, _why would he say that?!_

No sooner had the words left his mouth did he slap a hand to his face, slowly dragging it down and groaning. This is what happened when he was nervous, he rambled and he couldn't shut up, and then he'd end up saying too much.

" _You_ liked _her_?" Kevin asked. He sounded partially skeptical, and entirely surprised. There wasn't a hint of jealousy in him - like he needed to be jealous of her. Her and her weirdly shaped hair.

"Ha, yeah… over a year ago." Jamie admitted, peeking through his fingers at Kevin, almost afraid of his reaction. Would he laugh? Would he be annoyed? It was hard to know with him. "It was more of an infatuation, really. She was just… breathtaking to me. I even wrote her love letters."

Which he'd stopped himself from doing several times that week for Kevin. He would take this slow, dammit.

"Love letters?" Kevin asked, his tone becoming teasing. "Who still even writes those?"

"So what if I'm a little old fashioned? It's romantic and sentimental!" Jamie defended, finding his worry over Kevin's reaction slowly easing away as his own smile returned. The other man seemed to find it more amusing than anything, and possibly still hard to believe.

Kevin's mood seemed to be brightening as he laughed - Jamie just had that effect on him.

"So, what, did she turn you down?"

"In a way." Jamie said, spotting the exit to the maze. As they stepped out together, with fields of grass spread out before them, along with vendors, neither of them let go of the other's hand.

"She just explained that what I was feeling wasn't necessarily what I thought. And as it turns out, she kind of… is a relationship."

He hadn't found that out until later, more or less by accident. But that seemed to be what really piqued Kevin's curiosity.

"You mean she's in one?"

"Uh… no." Jamie said slowly. "Not quite. She, ah, how do I explain this. She's… two people. Together? As one person? Gem, but you get what I mean. I hope. It's called fusion."

When he looked at Kevin to see if he was following, he could have swore he saw an odd look of recognition in his eyes as they widened.

"She didn't tell me she was a fusion, actually. I found that out a while later." He felt relieved that Garnet hadn't told him, actually. It would have been so easy for her to tell him that she was already a relationship in and of herself, and that would have made Jamie stop his advances immediately. He would have been ashamed, humiliated and beyond apologetic. But she'd taken the time to explain to him that his feelings weren't necessarily genuine, and told him that a real relationship couldn't be founded on physical attraction alone - you needed trust, understanding, and most importantly, time. And he hadn't forgotten that advice.

The only reason he learned she was a fusion was because of-

"Stevonnie."

Jamie froze mid-step, looking at Kevin with utter surprise.

"Wait, you know Stevonnie?"

Kevin looked a touch annoyed when he responded, though it was clear from the way he spoke, it wasn't directed at Jamie himself.

"Two people being one person, right? That's what Stevonnie is. I had a thing for them for like, two seconds, until they turned into a couple of kids. So they're a fusion… That happened to you, too?"

Jamie almost laughed at the incredible coincidence as he nodded at Kevin's question. What were the odds they'd both had some level of attraction to a fusion?

Jamie had only met Stevonnie once. He'd seen them on the beach in front of Steven's house, laughing as they chased the waves and skipped rocks across the surface. They hadn't seen Jamie come up, so when he asked them if they knew where Steven was, since he was always waiting outside by the mailbox when he was expecting a package from the mailman, he startled them into falling apart - literally.

After Connie and Steven assured Jamie that they were fine, as he was on the brink of freaking out at seeing one person become two kids, Steven explained what fusions were, and let it slip that Garnet was one herself.

It was sweet, really. Knowing that Garnet was a relationship that lasted for thousands of years, and that her two halves were still in love. It made the romantic in him swoon at the hopes of finding someone he could have even a sliver of that same level of devotion for, and he appreciated her advice even more. She was a love expert, after all.

"You're serious?" Kevin asked, snickering slightly. He couldn't believe they'd both experienced the same thing.

"Kind of a weird thing to have in common." Jamie laughed, looking behind him. The grounds by the vendors seemed to have thinned out, and at the sight of food, the young actor became aware of just how hungry he was. They'd been in the maze for an embarrassingly long time.

"I can go get us something to eat." He offered, looking back at him. Kevin smiled softly at him, saying that was fine, and volunteered to get them drinks while Jamie got food. Somehow, it was the gentle look that caused a fluttering in his stomach this time. As if the flirtations didn't put him in enough of a state.

Jamie lingered for just a moment longer, drawing out the moment before letting go of Kevin's hand and heading for the vendors.

Talking about Garnet again had Jamie thinking over her words of wisdom regarding the world of love once more as he stood waiting in a short line. A relationship couldn't be sustained on just infatuation, and it was important to keep the distinction between actual romantic feelings and just a surface level, superficial physical attraction.

And while he was by no means denying that there was a strong physical attraction towards Kevin, because to do so would be blatantly lying, he was starkly aware that there was something else about Kevin that made his heart race.

It was the way Kevin carried himself, how everything he said was laced with boldness and conviction. He didn't doubt himself, which was something Jamie admired in anyone. He was silver tongued and suave, and dramatic. Not like Jamie, with his theatrics, but he was over the top with his actions and his flirtations. His entire personality and demeanor, so cool and collected, just seemed to pull him in, and Jamie had never met anyone quite like him before.

What did Kevin see in _him_? He'd been the one to ask him out, so what was it about Jamie that he liked? When he looked at them individually, they seemed so… opposite. And _yes_ , Jamie was well aware of the idea that opposites attract; he'd watched enough romantic comedies to know that trope like the back of his hand.

He was aware Kevin found him cute - God, just thinking about that made him blush, but was there more to it? In the maze, it hadn't been all flirtations and longing looks. He seemed genuinely into what Jamie talked about, like him being a thespian and having dreams of being a movie star some day. How he enjoyed his job, even if he knew it would be an uphill battle to get anywhere with how little he earned at it, something Kevin couldn't relate to since his own family was rich. Maybe it was his excitable personality and cheery disposition. When together, their personalities did seem to compliment each other.

Was he getting in over his head again? This was a first date after all, and for all Jamie knew, this wouldn't lead anywhere. He wouldn't let himself be swept away in a whirlwind romance that could be all in his head, even if Kevin fit the part of his Prince Charming. For now, he'd enjoy this for what it was - a date. And if anything came out of it, well -

He shook his head, forcing the thoughts from his mind as he put on a bright smile as he stepped forward, buying two salted caramel apples. It was one of his favorite treats to get every year at the Fall Festival, and he hoped Kevin liked them just as much.

Jamie heard the footsteps running up behind him but had no time to prepare when a pair of small arms wrapped around his waist, making one of the apple's sticks slip from his fingers and land in the dirt.

"Jamie!" he recognized the voice immediately and laughed, twisting around best he could to smile back at the smaller person.

"Hey Steven!"

Steven grinned widely up at the young adult, squeezing his waist before he freed Jamie from his hug, his eyes seeming to shimmer with stars. He was wearing an adorable pink sweater with a jellyfish on it as his costume. All the kids were encouraged to dress up with their parents - maybe that's why Sadie didn't want to go with Barbara.

"Oh no, I'm sorry! That was an accident!" Steven said, his features becoming wracked with guilt at the sight of Jamie's newly purchased treat now being covered in ants.

"It's fine, don't worry." Jamie replied. He couldn't get mad at Steven even if he wanted to. Jamie may have been an emotional person - being an actor, how could he not? - but angry wasn't something he got easily.

He tried flashing a smile at the vendor, hoping he would replace what he knew they'd seen get ruined. When that didn't work, he just sighed and bought another.

"I've been looking for you! Garnet told me she saw you in the haunted maze with someone!" Steven told him after throwing away the dirty apple, but leaving enough caramel on the ground for the ants to enjoy. They deserved to have fun, too.

"Oh, it's haunted is it?" Jamie asked humorously, smiling at him over his shoulder as he received the replacement apple. Just to be sure, he kept an iron grip on them this time.

"Yeah! Lapis made the sign and maps, while me and Peridot carved the Jack-O-Lanterns! Lapis made sure Pumpkin didn't see any of them." Steven added with a quiet laugh as he followed Jamie away from the vendor. He'd really only seen Jamie from the back so far, and had only recognized him from a distance because of his side profile.

"Everything looks amazing Steven! You guys really rose up to the challenge." Jamie told him, making the young boy giggle as he beamed with pride.

"It took a lot of convincing from Uncle Andy, but Dad talked him into it. And I'll tell Lapis and Peridot you said that! They're making sure everything runs smoothly. Lapis got mad at Amethyst earlier because she ate all the pies at the pie eating contest, even one's that weren't hers, so she's disqualified." He laughed. "And I really like Vidalia's scarecrows! Lapis and Peridot made a few, but when Mayor Dewey saw them, uh… he thought they'd scare people away. Too abstract."

"Well, if you want a fellow artist's opinion, there's no such thing as 'too abstract'. All art should be appreciated!" Jamie said, throwing in an added dramatic flair to make Steven laugh.

"You're right! If I get the chance to ask Vidalia, I want her to teach Lapis and Peridot how to paint! Then they could make all kinds of meep morps."

"Gem term for art?" Jamie guessed with a lopsided smile, looking around for a moment to try and catch a glimpse of Kevin.

"Not really." Steven answered truthfully before he remembered to ask, "Who were you in the maze with?"

Jamie could feel Steven's curious eyes on him, and couldn't help but find the boy's interest endearing. He was inquisitive by nature.

"Well, I'm on a date." he replied, looking down at Steven before laughing. "Stop looking at me like that!"

Steven had the cheekiest smile on his face, like he somehow knew all about Jamie's new crush.

"Oooh! Jamie's on a date!" He cheered, laughing when Jamie ruffled his hair. He liked seeing the mailman happy. "Jamie's in looooove!"

"Excuse you," Jamie said, snickering as he tried to fake a serious tone but failing, "I think a first date is too early to say anything like that."

When he spoke, he turned to face Steven fully, having not faced him yet as they spoke. Steven's eyes were closed as he laughed, but when he opened them, it died down.

"You look so… happy… though…" Jamie frowned at the odd look Steven was giving him. He wasn't looking at his face, he was looking at his torso. It looked like he recognized something.

"Hey, Jamie, where did you get that jacket?" He asked finally, head tilted while pointing at the clothing in question. At the inquiry, Jamie blinked in surprise.

"Oh, my date lent it to me. His name's Kevin."

Steven's eyes widened in alarm as he looked up at Jamie, throwing his arms above his head.

 _"Kevin's_ your date?!"

That… wasn't a good response.

Jamie raised an eyebrow at him, not understanding the unusual reaction.

"Yes… is something wrong?" he inquired, watching Steven's eyebrows knit together in worry as he seemed to think about something. When he looked up at Jamie's question, he forced a reassuring grin.

"No! Everything's fine! Uh, where is Kevin?" he asked, the grin becoming anxious.

"Last I talked to him, he was going to get us something to drink." Jamie said, gesturing behind him as he turned around before looking back to Steven. "Why do you - Steven?"

Steven had vanished, leaving Jamie alone, looking around him and wondering where the boy had run off to.

(-)

Kevin had wandered off to get the two of them cider, looking around with a bored expression. The line had been long, but he was nearly to the front now.

The date had gone really well, so far, and Jamie had been clearly enjoying himself. Kevin wasn't ashamed to admit he was having a good time as well, though only because of the other man.

Jamie… he was like a breath of fresh air. He had this air of optimism about him that Kevin didn't see in too many people, or at the very least, the people he tended to hang out with. He was hard working and spoke with such passion about his dreams, and while Kevin didn't work himself, it was… sweet how much determination Jamie had to make something of his life, and to see his name on the big screen. It was something Kevin could relate to, in a way - he wanted to be remembered. He wanted people to be obsessed with him. He wanted to be the center of everyone's attention. While he couldn't see himself on stage like Jamie, he knew exactly where he was coming from when he described the feeling of being in front of an audience. It was addictive.

They couldn't be more different when it came to their backgrounds - Jamie came from nothing and worked his ass off for everything he had, even if it wasn't much. Kevin was born into a wealthy family and didn't have to work a day in his life.

The people he knew - he would _not_ call them friends - whined and complained about every little inconvenience, and while Kevin was no stranger to impatience, he admired that Jamie never had anything negative to say about his own hardships. Kevin knew he sure as hell wouldn't be able to handle it like he did.

Being on a date with someone who was so vastly unique, when compared to everyone else Kevin seemed to know, was kind of thrilling. He hadn't felt excitement like this since -

No, _no_ , he wasn't going to think about her, not now. Not when he was actually enjoying himself. She wouldn't ruin this, too.

Kevin sighed angrily, stepping forward to pay for the cider and barely acknowledging the vendor when they wished him a good day. He stepped to the side, turning around and -

"Ah!"

Kevin nearly jumped out of his skin, the sudden flinch causing some of the cider from the cups to slosh out, nearly staining his shoes. When he recovered from being startled, and lifted his head after checking to make sure he hadn't gotten any drink on himself, he shot a dirty look at the angry little boy in front of him.

"Jesus Christ, don't do that!"

It was that brat! One of the two kids that made up Stevonnie, glaring right back at Kevin, looking as angry as he could while wearing that ridiculous jellyfish sweater.

"What are your intentions with Jamie!"

 _What?_

Kevin stared at him a moment before his expression bordered somewhere between annoyed and bored, transferring both cups to one hand so that he could shove him away by his face as he walked past.

Kevin could hear the kid sputter angrily when he strolled past, doing his best to ignore him and hoping the kid would just leave him alone.

Oh, if only he were that lucky.

"I know you're up to something, Kevin!" The young man sighed in aggravation, shoulders hunching as he continued walking away from the kid, knowing full well that he was following him.

"You need to leave him alone! Jamie's nice, he doesn't need a jerk like you bothering him!" the boy huffed, cheeks puffing out as he continued to yell at him. It did nothing for his intimidation, but it did succeed in getting on Kevin's nerves.

"Ugh, why don't you just go bug someone else, you little twerp!" Kevin snapped back, turning around to face him, making the child stop short of walking into him.

"Not until you tell me what you're planning!" the boy said, trying to look taller as he placed his fists on his waist.

"And what exactly do you think I'm planning, kid?" He sneered. He really did not want to deal with him right now. He had told himself that he would try and get on the kid's good side one of these days, if for no other reason than to try and convince Stevonnie to go to one of his parties, because he knew that they would make it memorable. But today was sure as hell not that day.

"I don't know, but I know you've got something up your sleeve!" the kid accused. "There's no way Jamie would go out with a creep like you!"

God, he was so annoying! He hadn't even done anything, what was his problem?

What was his name again? Clarence? He was pretty sure it was Clarence.

"Look, kid, it's none of your business what I'm doing." Kevin told him, flicking him in the forehead. "Now get lost."

The boy held his forehead, rubbing it as he whined.

"I'm not a kid! I'm fourteen!"

"Pfft, you are not fourteen."

"I am too!" The kid shouted, catching up to him again and stepping in front of Kevin as he started walking away. When the kid cut him off, Kevin growled.

"Oh my God, move! I'm not even bothering you!" Kevin yelled, clenching his jaw. He was aware they were getting a few odd looks from passerby, but there was so much talking that most people didn't even notice the confrontation.

The boy stood his ground, holding his arms outwards from his sides, as though Kevin couldn't just walk around him.

"Jamie is my friend! I don't want you to hurt him!"

"What are you, his mother?" Kevin scoffed, leaning his weight on one foot. "We're adults, we can do whatever we want, and he can make his own decisions. Without some brat getting in the way, and sticking his little snot nose where it doesn't belong!"

They were just on a date! That was it! But this four foot nothing twerp was acting like they were in some relationship. Kevin didn't want a relationship, not now, not so soon after - _ARGH_ , he made him think about her again!

"Kevin! There you are!" Both the boy and Kevin stopped their mutual glaring at one another to look up as Jamie approached, clearly oblivious to the arguing between the two, though he could sense the tension.

"Is… everything okay?" He asked, frowning at the two, holding up the caramel apples.

"Yes!" The two responded simultaneously. There was no point in getting Jamie involved.

"You sure? Because it seems like something is wrong." Jamie stated slowly.

Kevin had to bite his tongue to keep from telling him about the kid's interrogation, while Steven himself kicked at the dirt, as he didn't want to worry Jamie, or seem like he was interfering with his date. He just didn't trust Kevin! He knew what he was like!

"I think I hear Pearl calling me!" Steven said suddenly, before running away from the two, telling Jamie goodbye as he did.

The actor gave Kevin a flabbergasted look, completely missing the 'watching you' gesture Steven directed at Kevin, who rolled his eyes in return.

"What was that about?" Jamie asked, his eyes begging for answers.

"Nothing." Kevin sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Just a brat meddling in things he had no right to.

Seeing that wasn't enough to convince Jamie, he flashed him a charming smile while offering him the cider and taking one of the salted caramel apples. "Don't worry about it, baby."

At the pet name, he saw Jamie's cheeks flare up with crimson, and couldn't help but chuckle to himself. When Jamie seemed to accept that Kevin wasn't going to elaborate, he smiled, though it was clearly uneasy.

"So, where to next?"

Kevin hummed to himself, looping an arm around Jamie's waist, pretending not to notice the way his eyes widened.

"How about…"

He felt like he was being watched. Frowning, Kevin glanced around behind him, spotting the kid watching the pair of them from behind a hay bale.

"I see you, you little shit!"

The kid looked startled, quickly ducking down out of sight.

Had he said that out loud?

Kevin winced internally, glancing sideways at Jamie, who looked more than a bit caught off guard. He could feel his own cheeks burning as he tried to laugh it off, quickly leading Jamie away.

"Anywhere but here."

(-)

"Do you not like caramel apples?"

Kevin looked up at Jamie's question, leaning against one of the poles that held up the welcoming sign for the Fall Festival.

The event was winding down and the vendors were all getting ready to leave, with only a few people left shuffling about the grounds. Lapis and Peridot had announced it was ending, and had asked - well, told - people to leave. They were getting better about how to talk to other humans, they just needed a bit more work.

Kevin and Jamie had walked among the other stalls, playing the games they offered and browsing goods. Though no amount of begging would get Kevin to agree to get his face painted. Why cover up perfection?

Kevin had only caught the kid watching them twice after his initial spotting, and each time had dragged Jamie in the other direction. He didn't like being spied on.

So now the two of them were finishing up their food and drink, watching the sky fade from blue to a rich purplish red hue before heading out.

"Why do you ask?" Kevin responded, sipping the cider. It was spiced with cinnamon and made him feel warm.

"You've barely touched it, and you kept making faces when you ate it." Jamie told him, smiling slightly as he ate his own.

"Way too salty." Kevin shrugged. At that, Jamie snickered.

"How is it too salty? Do you have sensitive taste buds?" He asked, laughing when Kevin tossed a crumpled up napkin at him.

"Oh, and it's fine to you?" Kevin snorted, smiling softly at him. He'd been giving the other man looks of adoration the entire afternoon, and neither had been fully aware that he was doing it.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, it is." Jamie said defiantly, making Kevin chuckle. "I think it's plenty sweet."

Jamie took a long drink of his cider, heart skipping when he felt Kevin's warm breath against skin, tickling his neck.

 _"I bet your lips are even sweeter."_

Jamie gasped suddenly, sputtering and coughing as he leaned over, pounding his chest.

"Dude, are you alright?" Kevin should have felt bad for laughing, but he didn't.

"Yeah, just - just inhaled my cider! No big deal!" Jamie managed in between his coughing fit, leaning on his knees for support. Kevin's words seemed to stick in his mind, bringing him back to that moment in the maze earlier, causing his cheeks to flush with heat.

After he'd recovered, he followed Kevin as he walked away from the barn, towards where the last few cars that were left were parked, his thoughts still struggling to catch up with the rest of him.

"I'll admit, for some dirty little festival, it wasn't that bad." Kevin said, casting a glance towards Jamie over his shoulder.

"See, I told you you'd like it." Jamie smiled, feeling awfully proud of himself now. He'd not chosen the worst place for a date, after all.

Kevin had stopped in front of a sleek yellow car, waxed and glistening in the evening sun. It was probably - no, definitely the nicest looking car Jamie had ever seen in his life.

When Kevin pulled out his keys, Jamie dropped his cup of cider, letting what little bit was left spill into the dirt.

"That's _your car_?!"

"Yeah, beauty, isn't she?" Kevin asked, his tone smug. "Wanna lift?"

"Me? In, in that? No, no, I couldn't, what if I ruined the interior or scuffed the leather? Plus I have a car." A little run down car that he barely used. He honestly preferred using the bus to driving anywhere in his own vehicle, and was strongly considering just selling it.

"Another time, then." Kevin said, shrugging. He watched Jamie starting to shed off his jacket, stopping him and pulling it back around his shoulders.

"You can hold onto it." Kevin told him, causing Jamie to gawk at him. The gawking was replaced with a deep blush when Kevin added, "it'll give me an excuse to see you sooner to come get it."

"Oh, alright." He laughed, pulling it tighter around himself while his blush deepend. He wasn't going to argue with that.

"So, do I get another date?" Kevin grinned at the way Jamie faltered, his mouth falling open and then snapping shut.

"Another date?"

"Why not? You enjoyed this one, right baby?" Kevin asked, watching the other man nod. "So, is that a yes?"

Jamie felt his heart skip as he tried to contain himself, though there was no hiding his ear-to-ear grin.

"Yeah, sure! I'd love to." Jamie responded, feeling a thrill at the agreement.

"Perfect." Kevin winked, smirking at him. "One catch; I choose where this time."

That was fair, especially since Jamie had chosen something Kevin would normally never attend. Regardless of the fact it worked out in the end, he still found Kevin's request reasonable.

"Absolutely! Anywhere in mind?" He asked, already bristling with excitement. That quickly died when he heard Kevin's suggestion.

"A rave."

Oh.

 _Oh._

 _Oh no._

"I, ah, you know, on second thought, maybe I should pass-"

"You already agreed." Kevin's mouth curled up into an almost Cheshire Cat like grin as he listened to Jamie's excuse.

"I… can't dance." He said, rubbing his arm. He performed in a different kind of way on stage. He'd always meant to take lessons, since some plays and movies had dancing, but the thought terrified him. Jamie had been cursed with two left feet, so anything rhythmic was out of the question.

"Don't worry, I'm a good teacher." Kevin told him. Jamie opened his mouth to refuse, but couldn't. Not when he'd already agreed. Not with the way Kevin was looking at him…

"Alright… fine. But after that, we decide together!" Jamie told him.

"Already planning out future dates?" Kevin smirked, leaving Jamie to contemplate what he'd just said while reaching into his pants pocket and pulling out his phone. "Let's get each other's number."

Jamie was happy Kevin took the presumption of future dates well, handing over his own phone while he took Kevin's, an eagerness in every tap of his fingers as he input his number and began handing it back to the other man.

Kevin took his phone, but when Jamie reached for his, he held it out of reach, placing two fingers under Jamie's chin as he spoke.

"Dream of me tonight, won't you baby?"

Jamie felt his heart racing when Kevin handed his phone back, which he accepted without averting his eyes from Kevin's.

So far, Kevin had been the forward one, the assertive one. His flirtations were never ending, and while Jamie was willing to admit he was weak for them, he also was no stranger to flirting himself. His attempts at flirtation were just more… poetic. Still, he wanted to give Kevin some semblance of just how he made him feel, and in that moment, Jamie felt daring enough to try.

"Well," He said, voice breathy as he placed the phone in the pocket of his borrowed jacket before grabbing two fistfuls of Kevin's scarf and dragging him down to his level, eyes gleaming, "how can I possibly sleep when I'll be counting the days like stars until our next fateful meeting?"

The look of shock on Kevin's face, and the way he turned red, like a switch had been flipped, made Jamie's risk completely worth it.


	3. Heart Racer

Weeks had passed since the Fall Festival, and in between that date and now - now being Kevin driving Jamie up to the cliffs overlooking the twinkling lights of Beach City to give the mailman a front row seat to him partaking in a drag race, a frequent activity of his which Jamie had yet to see in person - a lot had happened.

For example, if Jamie thought Kevin would be any less flirtatious through his text messages than he was in person, he was sadly mistaken. Though the young thespian would admit he was happy to be wrong, for once. But at least behind his phone screen, he didn't have to attempt to hide his blush.

Their conversations lasted well into the night, keeping Jamie up later than he ever dared to, with his job requiring him to get up early. But he couldn't bring himself to complain. How could he complain when their messages back and forth left him grinning like an idiot, giggling over the comments Kevin would make, and filling him with a kind of energy he hadn't had in a while? It had become a game of sorts, seeing who would fall asleep first while in the middle of their texts. Kevin usually won, but Jamie found it to be a huge victory when he outlasted the other young man.

Their texts weren't limited to just nighttime, either. Throughout the day, and while he was working, Jamie could expect to hear from Kevin, asking how far along his route he was, when he expected to be done, and on the days of their dates, reminding him of when and where to be.

 _Their dates._

Jamie smiled to himself, watching the glittering, diamond-like stars in the sky while Kevin drove, letting his mind wander back to the previous weeks while placing a hand over his chest, feeling his racing heartbeat.

There'd been three in particular that Jamie remembered specifically. There'd been small moments, such as Kevin joining him on the docks after he'd finished his route and changed to watch the ocean with him. Or having lunch with him when he took brief breaks on particularly long days. But Jamie wasn't thinking of those as being official dates.

But regarding their actual dates, Jamie couldn't recall the last time he'd had this much fun. The experiences were new and exhilarating, much like Kevin himself.

(-)

The first date, the rave, had set Jamie's nerves off something fierce. He'd tried convincing Kevin a few times to change his mind, but the other man was dead set on going there, insisting Jamie would enjoy himself - he'd make sure.

Kevin was very stubborn, Jamie learned, but at least his confidence alleviated his worry somewhat.

That was until Jamie found himself standing awkwardly in front of the old warehouse, lights flashing from it's crumbling windows, and the electronic music carrying out towards him on a chilly gust of wind. All the while absolutely refusing to move an inch, no matter how much Kevin tried to persuade him.

This was a mistake, this was a huge mistake. Jamie didn't belong here! He didn't go to clubs, or dances, or other similar outings! On nights like this, he was much happier curled up on his couch, gorging himself on ice cream while watching one of his favorite movies for the hundredth time - The Princess Bride, or Bringing Up Baby. Not this!

It had seemed fair to him at the time, letting Kevin choose where their next date was. Jamie had chosen the first, so of course it made sense to let Kevin have the say this time around. And after that, they'd decide together.

But now an uncomfortable pit had formed in his stomach, making Jamie feel nauseous as he stared up at the warehouse that loomed over him menacingly, feeling much more akin to a daunting fortress.

And it didn't help that Kevin could be... pushy, to put it nicely. Very insistent.

"Parties, raves... This just really is not my thing." Jamie had said, laughing somewhat nervously while Kevin eyed him, arms folded. "I'm sure you'd have much more fun on your own, without me holding you back."

"You really gotta relax." Kevin snorted, taking his arms and pulling him close. "Besides, you call this a party? This wasn't anything until we showed up, baby."

Oh, Jamie wished he could be as calm as Kevin was about this. His eyes flitted between Kevin's tempting smile and the building itself, anxiety setting in deep as he pulled Kevin's jacket tighter around himself. He'd fallen asleep in it on the night of the first date (unintentionally, of course) which he was absolutely going to omit from telling Kevin about when he gave it back, if he could help it. It wasn't something Jamie would usually wear, but he found himself slipping it on whenever he wasn't in uniform. It seemed to fit him perfectly.

Maybe if he pulled the hood of Kevin's jacket up and stood in a corner, no one would see him; that was an idea. There'd be no risk of tripping over his own two feet, falling and humiliating himself in front of potentially hundreds of people. He'd had minor mishaps when on stage before, stumbling over his feet on occasion, but like the actor he was, he could work with the mistakes, somehow incorporating it. He could make it seem seamless and intentional, improvising a reason for why he may have tripped before getting right back into the flow of the script without missing a beat. But how do you hide a mistake while dancing?

This was so much worse than any stage fright. At least he'd gotten _over_ stage fright.

Kevin's voice reached him through his troubled thoughts, bringing him back to reality from the scenario he was imagining in his head.

"Aren't you the one who loves to be on stage?" Kevin smirked, tipping his chin up so their eyes met. "Make the dancefloor your stage tonight."

"Ah, you see, there's a difference there!" Jamie told him, his smile forced. "I'm not dancing when I'm on stage!"

"You'll be fine." Kevin insisted, rolling his eyes. He stepped back from Jamie, taking his hand and bringing it to his lips, giving it the most chaste of kisses while winking at the other man. "Next to me, baby, you'll look flawless."

That was all the convincing Jamie needed, apparently, because when he came back to his senses, they were inside the warehouse at last.

How did he get here?!

The cluster of so many people packed so tightly together created a pocket of heat, making any chill from the outside a non concern. The music was so much louder inside; the floor itself seem to vibrate, making Sour Cream's signature glow sticks, which littered the ground, seem to jump and bounce in time with the music as the bass itself thumped in rhythm with Jamie's heartbeat, or was it the other way around?

Thank God Sour Cream was there, a welcomed familiar face amongst the sea of strangers. Jamie could feel his nerves starting to get the best of him again after Kevin seemed to pull his thoughts away from his worries with the kiss, so he made a beeline straight for the DJ's setup, dragging Kevin along behind him as he slipped past the groups of people. He just couldn't bring himself to be amongst the dancing, not yet. He would be more than happy to stay glued to the spot he'd rooted himself to for the entire night.

He didn't like crowds at the best of times, and this was taking it to an extreme new level. It's why he often politely turned down Sour Cream's invitations to attend one of his raves. This was just so far out of his comfort zone.

Kevin seemed intent on breaking those boundaries though.

Underneath the black lights that had been placed around the inside of the warehouse, which had colors dancing across the ceiling and bouncing off the walls, Kevin just seemed to... _glow_. His white scarf was now a vibrant aqua, skin giving off a purple tinge while his red shirt now appeared to be a deep magenta. It was impossible for Jamie to take his eyes off of him.

He looked so... surreal.

Ethereal, exquisite, alluring, dreamlike, enticing, handsome, _beautiful,_ Jamie could go on, and he would have continued staring if the knowing smirk he received from Kevin didn't make him aware of how badly his face was burning, which he quickly tried to hide.

He wondered how he must have looked to Kevin; with his jacket on, Jamie looked almost like a neon hot pink, and the blue shirt under it becoming a bold and lively shade of teal.

Kevin hid his reaction better than Jamie had, but he found the other man to be positively captivating.

"You're not getting out of this that easy." Kevin told him, dragging Jamie away from the safety of seclusion and into the spotlight.

He wanted to ease Jamie out of his reluctance and convince him he'd feel great if he just started moving.

Dancing was the one thing Kevin was equally as passionate about as Jamie was with acting. The music, the energy, the attention - it was like a dependency, but he loved it. He belonged on the dancefloor, admired by everyone. He craved their envy.

And he wanted to share that feeling with Jamie.

Of course, that was easier said than done.

"I can't dance, Kevin!" Jamie insisted, wanting to sink back into the shadows but not really resisting Kevin as he was pulled forward. If he could just borrow a fraction of Kevin's courage, he'd be fearless.

"Relax, Jamie." Kevin laughed, one arm snaking around his waist. "Everything's fine."

"Everything is not fine!" Jamie had to yell just to be heard over the music that blared out over the crowd.

A part of him was well aware of just how silly he was being over this - no one was looking at him except for Kevin, and he was surrounded by smiling, laughing people. They were enjoying themselves, so why couldn't he?

He was working himself up over nothing - no one was waiting for him to stumble, but that didn't change the fact that his feet felt useless and clumsy, and that he felt like he had no room to breath.

He was overdramatic by nature, he couldn't help it.

For one brief moment, the world around Jamie seemed to melt away when Kevin leaned forward, whispering in his ear.

"Just focus on me."

As though Jamie could possibly focus on anything else when Kevin spoke like that.

"You don't understand." he whined, burying his face in Kevin's scarf, taking a small comfort in the familiar smell of his cologne. His stomach felt knotted up and despite the heat of the room, there was a noticeable cold sweat running down his back. "I'm going to look like-"

Kevin's lips brushed against his as he brought their foreheads together, his arm drawing Jamie in closer by the waist until they were flush against one another. His words were barely audible above the beat of the music, but deafening to Jamie as his senses seemed to hit a dead stop and his breath caught unexpectedly in his throat.

"Hush. Don't worry, baby, you're in good hands. Just _trust me_."

Jamie was in love with the way Kevin pulled him in closer, and with the way his eyes were burning with an intense inner fire as he smiled down at him. Like nothing else mattered, or existed. Just them.

It was like the blazing heat in his gaze melted away the insecurity.

He wanted to let go, to give in and get carried away in the flow. And even though that worry was ever present, he didn't want to let that consume him.

Jamie closed his eyes, taking a deep breath slowly. He held it for a few seconds before releasing it again, just as slow - exactly what he'd do before getting on stage to perform - before opening his eyes to meet Kevin's expectant stare.

He trusted him.

It was almost an unconscious decision, when Jamie looped his arms around Kevin's neck. And was it the shadows playing tricks on Kevin's mind, or was Jamie smirking.

"Alright. If you're so sure, go ahead and sweep me off my feet, Prince Charming."

Maybe it was the undeniable positive energy of the place, pulsating through the floor and up through his feet, that was finally getting him to let his guard down. Or maybe it was Kevin's own sheer and unparalleled confidence rubbing off on him. Whatever it was, the anxiety and nerves were falling away, replaced by radiant boldness. He wanted to let himself be swept away, and judging by the wicked grin Kevin gave him - honestly, it was enough to even draw a giggle from Jamie - he was more than happy to comply.

Being around the other man did seem to have the effect of increased assertiveness, just like back at the festival. There was a newfound adrenaline rushing through him, buzzing at his fingertips, making his head swim; it made him feel so alive.

Kevin was a natural when it came to dancing, keeping Jamie close to him and their eyes locked, making sure he had his full attention. With every spin he brought Jamie into, every pivot, every drop, every press of their bodies, it looked less and less like he was leading him and more that Jamie was falling into an unconscious rhythm. That wasn't to say Jamie didn't stumble, or trip into him, because he did, but before his fears had a chance to resurface, Kevin would pull him in again, and they wouldn't miss a step.

In spite of his fumbles, you wouldn't be able to tell at all by how the pair moved together that Jamie wasn't a dancer.

Now that he'd finally let go of the anxiety that had been holding him back, Jamie was enjoying himself. A _lot_. He had all but forgotten about the crushing worry that had been weighing him down before, and he could see why so many people - why Kevin, loved this so much. It was an incredible feeling. He'd done nothing but make himself almost sick from his nerves over the date, and it was all so unwarranted.

He didn't want it to stop.

But even Kevin had his limits, suggesting the two of them pause for a quick breather. Jamie's new enthusiasm about the dancing made him chuckle, and he actually had to now drag him _off_ the floor and to the sidelines, all the while hearing Jamie laugh.

"I don't think it would be too much fun if you passed out." Kevin told him, smiling at Jamie while he collapsed against the wall, lost in his own laughing fit.

"This place is great!" Jamie shouted, having to speak up more as they were closer to Sour Cream's DJing. The dancing had made him start to sweat, so he slipped off Kevin's jacket, instead tying it around his waist by the sleeves.

"Didn't I tell you it would be fine?" Kevin responded, leaning against the wall himself while slipping his hands into his pants pockets. It was great to see Jamie finally opening up to dancing, and when they moved together, there was undeniable chemistry. He could see the renewed life in his eyes, and if he was half as amazing to watch on stage as he was when dancing, Kevin might just have to take him up on his offer to attend one of his shows.

"I've never had this much fun!" Jamie continued to yell, brushing his hair away while he grinned widely.

"Well, cutie, I guess I chose a good date then." Kevin hummed, tilting his head as he watched Jamie try and regain a normal heartrate.

"I admit it, you did." Jamie laughed breathily. He wanted to give him an earful for being so damn domineering about it, though, but thought better of it. He had needed the little shove to finally have the courage to forget his worry and enjoy himself, and letting him see just how small the issue he'd been building up in his mind had been.

"You're a really good dancer." Jamie added, unsure if Kevin heard him over the speakers that boomed a few feet away.

"I'm not just good." Okay, so he'd heard him. "I'm the best there is, baby. You haven't seen nothing yet."

Kevin pushed off of the wall, a new energy beginning to flow through him - he was a show off, and whenever the opportunity presented itself, he would be damn sure to take it.

"Hang back now, Jamie, and prepare to be dazzled. It's _Kevin time_."

Kevin had a few ideas for how Jamie would react - swooning over him, expression dreamy while he looked at him like an irresistible heartthrob.

What he did _not_ have in mind was for Jamie to _laugh_ at him.

Jamie tried to hide it, covering his mouth while his eyes glowed with mirth, but the snickering soon gave way to full blown laugher, making him double over.

"What?!" Kevin snapped, not even trying to hide the annoyance in his tone. He could feel himself growing hot in the face, and he knew he was embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, but _Kevin time_? Is that what you call it?" Jamie asked, still making an effort to cover his giggling, if for no other reason than to be polite. "That's so funny!"

He was almost in tears when he looked back at Kevin, who looked thoroughly unamused, arms folded over his chest.

"It's not funny."

"It's kind of funny." Jamie responded, smiling at the slightly taller man when he rolled his eyes. "You have to have a sense of humor."

"I don't like people laughing at me." Kevin told him, allowing the thespian to take his hands and pull him closer.

"At least laugh at yourself!" Jamie told him, his eyes glinting. It had been in good fun, Kevin knew that. And even if he wanted to keep his flaring anger, the glowing smile from Jamie made that impossible, so he resigned himself to minor agitation.

"I promise I won't laugh again." Jamie told him, placing one hand over his heart and raising the other. "You have my word! And I am a man of my word, believe me. I just want to see you dance."

The other man didn't respond for a few seconds before that smirk that Jamie had grown used to and fond of returned, making his heart flutter.

"How can I say no to such a pretty face?" With a wink and a promise to be back soon, Kevin left Jamie to relax against the wall, watching him from a distance.

There was the dreamy eyed expression he'd been looking for.

Jamie watched, almost entranced. Kevin moved effortlessly, smooth and confident in everything he did - a complete natural. Now that the young thespian was observing him as an outsider, he could appreciate him fully.

It was nice to Jamie to know that, despite how suave and cool Kevin seemed to be, even he wasn't above being a dork, even if he didn't think of himself as acting like one.

It was sweet he thought, allowing himself to get lost in his own mind as he watched Kevin.

 _He could have swore he just heard someone call his name._

Jamie brushed it off, letting his attention be drawn to Kevin until he heard his name again, this time more clearly. He only had to look around for a brief moment before he spotted Jenny and Buck a few yards away, the former waving at him eagerly. When he waved back, letting them know he saw the pair, they made their way over.

"I thought that was you on the dance floor a few minutes ago!" Jenny said, finally getting in range of him, speaking up over the music. "I didn't know you could dance!"

"Oh, no, I can't." Jamie laughed, glancing between her and Kevin as he spoke.

"Oh please, I saw you, Jamie!" Jenny insisted, punching him playfully in the shoulder. "You were great out there!"

"You had some serious smooth moves." Buck added. Honestly, it was nighttime and he was inside, _what the hell was he doing still wearing his sunglasses?_

"Really, you think so?" Jamie asked, his smile bashful. He may have seemed humble about it, but on the inside, he was beaming with delight at their kind words.

"Totally." Buck nodded. He was a man of few words.

The two cool kids shared a look, Jenny's expression coy and knowing. And while Jamie couldn't see Buck's eyes, he assumed he had a similar look in them as his friend.

"So... You and Kevin, huh?"

Jamie felt his heartbeat falter, looking more intently at Kevin's dancing. Which did nothing to alleviate his slowly returning blush. They knew him as well, it seemed.

"Uh, yeah. We're on a date." Jamie responded, aware of the girl's snort behind him.

"Based on how you two were dancing, I sure hope so!" She told him, her teasing smile bringing a new wave of heat to Jamie's tanned cheeks. Thankfully, the pinkish glow his skin now had under the black lights hid that well.

"Well, I'm not sure how you can like a guy like him," Jenny continued, getting the young man's attention again, "but I've never seen you like this before. So, if he makes you happy, I support you, boo."

Jamie felt his heart warm at that, and smiled brightly at her.

"Thank you! I can't believe I was driving myself crazy with how nervous I was about tonight." He added, rubbing the back of his neck. He always had the tendency to blow things up way out of proportion.

"Well, I think it's pretty clear you have nothing to worry about." Jenny reassured him. "Now what are you doing over here? You can't let that jerk have all the fun, go dance with him again! It's your night, too! Show your boyfriend how it's done!"

As she said this, she began ushering Jamie back towards Kevin, drawing out a laugh from him while Buck observed from where they'd been standing.

"Alright, I will! Thank you, Jen - wait, what?"

What had she called Kevin?

Jamie didn't have enough time to fully realize what Jenny had said, walking blindly into Kevin after she'd let him go, nearly making the two of them fall over on top of each other.

"Couldn't stay away?" Kevin asked, grinning cheekily down at Jamie while he regained his bearings, an apology on his tongue when he looked up at him. But both it and Jenny's presumption seemed to completely slip his mind when Kevin pulled him closer and began to dance with him again. It was so easy to be caught up in the moment with him.

It was Jamie who began to lead Kevin away from the middle of the dancefloor, towards a more secluded corner. It wasn't for fear of looking like a fool anymore, that worry was long gone. It was to give them a sense of privacy.

"And you said you weren't a dancer." Kevin laughed breathlessly, earning a smile from Jamie, chest still heaving.

"Guess you were right - you're a good teacher." Jamie recalled what Kevin had told him at the festival, earning a quiet chuckle from the other man.

Jamie leaned against the cool brick wall to catch his breath, the chill contrasting with the heat radiating off of his body. Kevin's hands came to rest on either side of him, similarly out of breath and panting. The music was still pounding in his ears, reverberating up through his feet and making his nerves jump with excitement.

He didn't think when he took hold of Kevin's scarf again, pulling him in closer. Kevin leaned in without hesitation, dark eyes half lidded as he looked down at him, mirroring the desire Jamie knew had to be reflected in his.

He wanted to kiss him.

It would be so easy, and the romantic in Jamie was screaming at him to close the gap between them as their breath mingled together. But something held him back. Not nerves or anxiety - this was something devious, something playful.

When Kevin leaned in to kiss him, eyes drifting closed, Jamie pressed a finger to the other man's lips. It made him blink in surprise, looking at the thespian in confusion. He was met with an impish smile, and before he could question him, Jamie ducked under his arms, slipping past him and beckoning him back towards the dance floor with his finger.

It caught Kevin off guard, who gawked at Jamie for a few seconds. When the shock wore off, however, that flirtatious smile returned and he joined Jamie amongst the flashing lights once more.

 _Tease._

(-)

Street lights flew past them and the world was a dark blur of colors as Kevin drove. Jamie learned quickly that the other man never drove slow. It had been a little nerve-wracking at first, but he'd since grown accustomed to it.

Kevin had made it a habit of finding Jamie while in the middle of his route and offering him a ride.

At first he'd declined, offering up the same set of excuses he'd given the first time Kevin had asked him. But with the cold front that had swept over the beach side town being a fickle thing, coming and going as it pleased, and the smile Kevin gave when he pulled up beside him being so tempting, he eventually caved. Though he assured him this wouldn't be a regular thing.

But soon after Kevin had started driving him around, Jamie found himself wanting to be spoiled. He'd gotten used to the special treatment quickly, once he'd learned to lighten up and not sit still as a statue in the car, afraid to move or touch anything. His unmoving, wide eyed fear at possibly damaging the car had honestly freaked Kevin out at first, who had to assure him he was fine.

And now look at him! Going to a drag race with Kevin, completely at ease as he rested comfortably against the leather.

Oh, he wasn't going to be in the car when Kevin raced, God no. He'd made it very clear that, while Kevin's fast driving did give him an unexpected thrill, he was much happier to be a spectator with his feet firmly planted on the ground. Kevin had agreed without objection. He wanted Jamie to be cheering him on from the sidelines, anyways.

A drag race was an odd choice for a date, Jamie knew that. But the two of them had been making attempts to show an interest in what the other enjoyed, like the drag race with Kevin, and Jamie's favorite movies -

Movies!

(-)

That had been the subject of their second date. Not nearly as exciting as a rave, but Jamie was fine with that. Hell, he welcomed it! It was a classical, traditional, normal kind of date.

Jamie was a sucker for movie dates, and while there was a certain draw to the kinds of dates Kevin found more enjoyable, the young actor was looking for something much more tame this time around. Something relaxing, and easy. He was positive his heart wouldn't be able to handle another date like their last one so soon after.

Besides, Kevin was aware he may have been pressing his luck with Jamie on the last date. He didn't like to hear no, and he was known for being bull headed. His insistence to have Jamie dance with him had good intentions - he wanted Jamie to have a good time with him and to share in the euphoria that dancing brought him. And in the end, it had worked out for them both. But it took a hell of a lot of charm on his part to help Jamie get past how uncomfortable he was in the new setting.

He was no stranger to pushing boundaries - hell, he enjoyed saying things to get a rise out of people, and intentionally being an asshole just to see the kinds of varied reactions he would get. It was funny to him.

But he wasn't trying to be like that with Jamie. He was lucky the other man trusted him on their last date, because it could have gone very bad very fast had he kept it up. So he decided to pull back on the reigns just a little bit, and agreed with the first suggestion Jamie offered for their second date to make up for it - seeing a movie together.

That was easy, he could do that.

Where the disagreement came in was on _what_ to see.

They may have only been a year apart in age, with Kevin being nineteen and Jamie being twenty, but you'd think they were from completely different centuries with how vastly different their tastes in movies was.

What Kevin had figured would take two minutes to decide had become a nearly half an hour long debate, filled with 'I don't know's, 'maybes', 'how about's, and 'absolutely not's.

By some miracle, they'd settled on one movie - a romantic comedy. Not something Kevin would usually see, but there was a spark in Jamie's eyes when he recommended it, and it was hard to turn him down when he looked so cute.

The air was still crisp as they waited in line for the tickets, but Jamie had enough sense to dress warmly today - he was wearing his cozy red turtleneck sweater and jeans. He'd given Kevin his jacket back after the last date, but the other man wasn't wearing his usual red hoodie today, instead opting for a black and white striped sweater himself. He still had his scarf, though. It was a fitting look for him, and he looked handsome in it to Jamie. Not that Kevin wasn't ever attractive to the other man.

Jamie had absolutely insisted on helping to pay for the movie in some way when Kevin said he'd cover the tickets, so Jamie proudly boasted that he'd be getting the soda and popcorn for them to share. It was cute how excited he was about it.

When they were buying the tickets themselves, Kevin was surprised to see Jamie and the ticket girl - some brunette with a small nose and round, freckled face - talking and conversing comfortably like they were friends. They must have known each other, because she addressed him by name, though Kevin hadn't been paying attention, so he missed it if Jamie had said hers.

The movie itself had been exactly what Kevin predicted - cheesy and predictable fluff without much substance. But when he'd glance over at Jamie in the darkness of the theater, his face illuminated by the large screen, he saw his eyes glued to it, like he was hanging off of every word of dialogue.

His engagement with the movie was adorable, and even if Kevin didn't personally care for it, the look of Jamie's face was well worth it. As was the way he gasped when Kevin leisurely hung his arm around his shoulders as they watched, nearly causing Jamie to spill the soda into his lap.

They'd nearly kissed twice now, but the simple gesture still flustered Jamie.

The movie wasn't long at all, and when it did finally end, the young actor wasn't ready to call it a day yet. Instead, he suggested the two of them then head to an ice cream parlor just down the street.

The colors inside were soft shades of pastels, looking rather old fashioned, and almost sickeningly sweet smelling. The pair sat themselves at a small metal table outside by the window, people passing by them while the two enjoyed themselves.

"Didn't think you'd be so into chick flicks." Kevin snorted, sipping his gelato while watching Jamie.

"Romantic comedies are not just 'chick flicks', for your information." Jamie told him, licking at his chocolate chip mint cone. "And there's nothing wrong with enjoying the odd bit of cheesy romance."

"I've got a funny feeling you enjoy it more than you're letting on." Kevin told him. "You're not a very convincing liar, Jamie."

To avoid having to respond, the other man ate more of his frozen treat, cheeks rosy.

When the two had been discussing what movie to see, it had become clear that while Jamie enjoyed romances immensely, as well as anything musical, Kevin was more prone to liking action films and popcorn flicks.

"A lot of my favorite movies are from the thirties to fifties. A lot of black and white films." Jamie stated cheerfully.

"Ugh, you sound like my parents." Kevin groaned, giving an exaggerated eye roll. "Black and white movies are so boring."

The next time Kevin let his gaze lift to meet Jamie's, he was taken aback by the look of pain on the thespian's face, so visceral you'd think he'd been shot. It caught him so completely off guard that his own eyes darted off to the side before meeting Jamie's again, unsure what to do.

"What did I say?"

"Black and white movies aren't boring!" Jamie told him, clutching his chest in alarm. "How could you say that?!"

"What's the big deal?" Kevin asked, kicking himself now. Well, that went downhill fast. _Goddammit!_

"The _big deal_ ," Jamie drew out, "is that some of my greatest idols are from those movies! How can you watch something with Cary Grant and not fall in love with his performance!"

"Yeah, I don't know who that is."

Jamie's shoulders slouched in disbelief. Oh, this was awful. How could Kevin not know who that was?! He was only one of the greatest actors of his time, known for his dramas and comedies!

"You've never heard of him? What about James Stewart, or Katharine Hepburn?"

"Not ringing any bells, baby." Kevin told him, resting his chin on his hand while he smiled at Jamie. He was getting that look in his eye again.

"You haven't seen Bell, Book, and Candle?"

"Nope."

"Or Barefoot in the Park?"

"Sorry."

"Not even Arsenic and Old Lace?"

"Now you've just completely lost me." Kevin grinned.

Jamie talked about movies with an unparalleled passion - his eyes just seemed to light up and shine like stars when he discussed them. He knew every classic and had seen them all, he studied them and took notes, acting out his favorite scenes himself. He had actors he looked up to as inspirations, and could recognize a director just from how a movie was shot, and could quote any movie perfectly, delivering the line with his own distinguished flamboyant flair.

Kevin had never met someone who could talk about something with nearly as much excitement as Jamie talked about movies.

It was kind of... inspiring.

The young thespian let Kevin's word's sink in, with the reality dawning on him slowly.

"Wait... So, let me get this straight, you've never seen the classics?" Jamie asked, eyes wide before he dramatically leaned back in his chair, placing his hand over his chest and arm over his eyes while exclaiming that he had so much to show him.

"Truly this is a horrible tragedy that has befallen you!"

Kevin snorted, rolling his eyes and using his straw to flick some of his gelato at the overdramatic man.

"Lighten up, drama queen."

"No, no, don't you get it? You only think those movies are boring because you haven't seen them!" Jamie told him, absolutely brimming with excitement. He could hardly sit still when he continued with, "If you saw the movies that I love, you'd love them too! I know you would!"

"You sound sure of yourself there, cutie." Kevin hummed, adoring the bravado Jamie was now showing.

"I absolutely am sure of myself! Oh, I just know you would enjoy Grease and Footloose! You love to dance; you'd go crazy for those, I promise you! I have them back at my place, you should come over and watch them sometime!"

In his excitement, he'd become oblivious to how tightly he had been gripping his ice cream cone, only realizing just in time that he'd begun to slightly crush it in his grasp, the light green liquid beginning to seep out onto his hands.

"Oh, oops." he laughed nervously, setting his cone aside to look at his hands in dismay, thanking Kevin when he handed him a few napkins. He pretended not to hear him snickering at him.

"So, you want me to come over to your apartment then, baby? Get a head start on those movies."

Jamie didn't even need to look up at him, he could tell by his tone that he was smirking. But he didn't let it faze him, offering a cheeky smile in return.

"Yeah, I would."

(-)

And he'd been right about Kevin liking the movies!

Well, okay, he was still resistant to watching anything in black and white, but it was a start! Kevin had come over to his apartment a few times since then - when was the last time he had anybody over? - and he seemed to have warmed up to the idea of watching more older movies since then. But on the condition that Jamie give some of the films he liked a shot as well.

Sure, why not. It might be smart to broaden his horizon!

Jamie hummed to himself as he watched them near the bottom of the hill where the drag race was supposed to come to an end at. There was a few people already there, but Jamie didn't recognize hardly anyone. Strange, he knew the cool kids liked to attend. Kevin had told him people from Ocean Town often came to watch, but Jamie hadn't been there before.

It was nice to hear it wasn't still on fire, though.

Only one face stood out among the few people gathered there, and it wasn't exactly a face Jamie welcomed.

It was Ronaldo.

Oh. Joy.

Now, Jamie didn't _hate_ Ronaldo. Jamie couldn't bring himself to hate anyone. He just... didn't like him all that much.

Ronaldo was just... a bit much at times. Whenever the blogger was expecting something in the mail, he made a point of harassing Jamie about in whenever he saw him around town, even when he wasn't working. As though the mailman knew exactly when it was expected to arrive in the office.

And when he did have a delivery for him, he always hoped he would catch his father at home instead. Because every time Ronaldo was there to sign for it, without fail, Jamie would be roped into a thirty minute long discussion about whatever new crazy conspiracy he was working on then.

He loved to have small chats with people when working, and it was a big reason as to why he loved his job. But Ronaldo's conversations were anything but brief.

He'd just want to keep on schedule, finishing his route on time so he could go home and unwind. Instead, he'd be stuck there, listening to the man ramble off a bunch of words, often going into a tangent that Jamie couldn't follow. He was too polite to ever say anything, so he would just smile and nod and act as engaged as he could when he had no idea what Ronaldo was talking about half the time.

It was Peedee who usually came to his rescue, and he hoped the kid could see the thanks in his eyes whenever he did convince Ronaldo to leave him alone so he could get back to work.

Ronaldo was certainly friendly enough, but he could be unintentionally obnoxious, as well. And it was still a sore spot for Jamie when he'd nearly made the mailman lose all of his letters and packages while on route one day.

It had been when gravity had been acting up in the beach side city, and Ronaldo had tore through town, yelling about aliens to anyone unfortunate to be within range. He'd caused quite a bit of chaos in his rampage, and while Jamie could admire the enthusiasm, it had still almost cost him all of his mail and extended his work time that day by at least a few hours while the Gems helped to gather up what had nearly been lost.

Of course Ronaldo had a good reason for his behavior that day, and when he helped the Gems discover the source of the oddity, he thanked him, as well as the rest of the town.

 _But he still could have apologized to him_. If he'd lost even one piece of mail, the guilt would have been crushing!

When Kevin parked, Jamie pulled the jacket he'd once again been lent tighter around himself. Kevin didn't bother turning the car off as he leaned on the door, smiling at Jamie while offering him a wink.

"Make sure you cheer for me loud and clear, okay, baby?"

"Loud and clear, got it!" Jamie grinned, stepping away as he watched Kevin peel off back towards the top of the hill in a cloud of dust.

He was actually eager to see Kevin race. He wasn't sure what to expect, but he knew with Kevin behind the wheel, he'd give them all a show.

There was still a few minutes until it would start, so Jamie leaned against the metal safety railing that was placed at the cliff, his eyes drifting over to the glow that blanketed Beach City, seemingly so far below them.

It couldn't compare to the spectacle of Empire City, but he adored the stretch of sand he called a home.

Oh, _Empire City._

(-)

The third date had been a surprise.

Of course, the young actor tried reminding him that they'd promised to decide on future dates together, but Kevin insisted that this be kept a secret until the night of. No amount of begging or pleading or batting his eyelashes changed his stance, so Jamie had resolved himself to accepting it as it was.

All Kevin had told Jamie about their next date was that he would love it. Honestly, Jamie hadn't the slightest clue what to expect, but that didn't stop him from having fantasies over what it could potentially be.

Or from bugging Kevin for details he was tight lipped on.

By the day of the actual mystery date, Jamie was beside himself with excitement, nearly tripping over his coffee table when he leapt up off of his couch upon hearing Kevin knock, muttering a quiet swear at the pain that shot through his ankle before composing himself and opening the door.

Well, Kevin had said it would be a surprise, and surprised Jamie was when he saw Kevin standing there casually in a sleek black suit and white dress shirt, another suit hanging off his arm.

Kevin in a suit was... _breathtaking_.

Jamie could feel a heat pooling in his stomach as he stared, mouth hanging open. The sight of Kevin standing there was an image that was going to be burned into his memory.

Honestly, Kevin could watch Jamie stare at him all day - he loved that Jamie couldn't take his eyes off of him. Unfortunately, they were in a bit of a time crunch.

"Wanna take a picture? It'll last longer." Kevin purred.

Jamie made a noise in the back of his throat, like a startled animal, finally tearing his eyes away to hold a hand against his burning cheek.

"Oh, I'm sorry, it's just, you- _wow_." He actually began to fan himself, making Kevin chuckle. "Why, why are you, uh, dressed like that?"

Kevin answered not with words, but by producing two slim pieces of paper, holding them out for Jamie to examine, who did so shyly between his fingers.

Tickets?

"What are these for?" Jamie asked, the burning curiosity he'd been feeling all week beating out his embarrassment as he took them from Kevin.

"Just a show in Empire City. No big deal."

Jamie nearly dropped the tickets from the shock that hit him, eyes widening as he stared at Kevin.

"What?! You, you got tickets to a show in Empire City?" That wasn't the end of it.

While Jamie knew - or, more accurately now, he never _thought_ he'd get to see a show, he did keep himself up to date with what was playing and when. If he was reading these tickets correctly... this was a show that had been sold out for months.

His hands were shaking; he felt like he was holding the world's most precious jewel, and if he so much as breathed on it wrong, it would fall apart.

"How, how did, how did you-"

"How did I get them?" Kevin finished for him, smirking at the slack jawed nod Jamie gave him. "My parents know some people in high places. I asked them for a favor, and they pulled a few strings for me. Easy."

Kevin now brought his arm forward, showing off the second suit, catching Jamie's attention.

"At the festival, you mentioned you wouldn't have anything to wear to a show, so I thought I'd get you this too. My jacket fits you perfectly, so I figured we were the same size."

Jamie accepted the suit wordlessly, barely breathing. He was dreaming, he had to be.

"Better hurry up and get changed if you want to make the show on time, baby." Kevin told him, the corners of his mouth curling up into his well known smirk. "If you need help getting it on, I won't mind."

Was Jamie not hearing him? He hadn't moved a muscle since taking the suit, just staring at Kevin. The confusion the other man felt quickly turned to panic when he noticed Jamie's eyes grow glossy with tears.

Shit, what did he say?! Why was he crying, did he say something wrong? Did he not like the tickets? He hadn't been prepared for water works, and Kevin was left awkwardly fumbling over his words.

"Wait, what's wrong? Do you not like this show?" He hadn't even considered that. He had been so sure of this, stroking his ego at the thought of Jamie throwing himself into his arms and the presentation of the tickets, that he hadn't even thought of a plan B should this not follow through.

His string of worried thoughts was cut short when Jamie lunged at him, arms wrapping around Kevin's neck in a tight hug.

The action was so sudden and unexpected that Kevin actually cried out, throwing his hands out to grab onto nothing as he stumbled and fell backwards, the carpeted floor cushioning his fall.

When he came to his senses, he saw Jamie leaning over him, grinning while tears streamed down his face and he straddled his hips. Kevin's hands instinctively reached for him, finding purchase on Jamie's waist as he held him still.

"I can't believe you did this!" He gushed. His voice was thick with emotion and he was laughing, trying his best to wipe away the tears. "This is the nicest thing anybody has ever done for me! Kevin, thank you!"

Oh, so they were tears of joy? Okay, that was a relief. Kevin exhaled a breathy laugh, quirking an eyebrow up at Jamie.

"Don't mention it, cutie."

Jamie let out a few more quiet laughs, sniffing as he smiled down at him. There was a brief moment of quiet as they looked at each other, before it finally hit Jamie - he was sitting on Kevin's lap.

 _Oh God!_

The young actor stood so quickly that he instantly grew light headed, darkness ebbing his vision as he stammered out that he'd be getting changed, darting into his apartment and slamming the door. Kevin couldn't see him as he propped himself up on his elbows, but he could hear the muffled screaming as Jamie buried his face in the suit.

Being driven through the streets of Empire City in the nicest looking car he'd even seen, in the most expensive clothes he'd ever worn, a suit no less, with the lights of a thousand neon signs and billboards shining in his eyes, Jamie felt like a movie star.

Everything here was so big! Big and bright and amazing! The sight of skyscrapers reaching for the clouds and stars above, windows alight and seemingly never ending, took his breath away. The air itself seemed to buzz with life, like the city was a living, breathing thing, not just a place.

It was so new and awe inspiring. Everywhere he looked, there was more to take in, almost too much. Empire City was fabulous, wonderful, fantastic, astonishing, astounding, and extraordinary! It was beyond what he'd dared to let himself imagine, surpassing all expectations. He'd never seen anything like it, and there was a giddiness taking over as he bounced in the passenger seat, itching to get out and be among the buildings himself.

Life here moved so fast. It really was a blink and you'll miss it kind of place - a life style that fascinated the aspiring actor. He could see why Kevin was drawn here. Like a moth to a flame, everything about the bustling big city was alluring. It definitely fit Kevin more than Beach City did.

When they parked in front of the large theater, Kevin acted the part of a gentleman, opening the car door for Jamie. As soon as he was out of the car, he threw his arms around Kevin again, dragging him into another crushing hug. He'd be doing that a lot throughout the night.

Kevin had no idea what the performance was about, and he only vaguely paid attention. But Jamie, now he was positively enraptured. The sets that were placed on the stage, the way people moved about to fluidly, slick and smooth as water, their voices booming out with raw emotion as they delivered lines and sang so loud that the room itself vibrated.

It was everything he'd hoped for and more. Words could not describe how he felt.

The curtain closed, signifying the first break of the performance. People got up to stretch their legs and go outside for fresh air, all dressed so elegantly. And Jamie fit right in with them.

Kevin followed the other man outside onto a small balcony that overlooked the street, which seemed to move itself as cars blew past. By now, Kevin was more prepared for the hug Jamie gave him, as well as his teary eyed 'thank you' that followed.

"How many times are you going to thank me?" Kevin snorted, quirking an eyebrow at Jamie and while smiling when he pulled back.

"Probably a hundred more." Jamie laughed, brushing his hair back before letting his hand rest on his cheek, the other over his heart while he gazed back into the theater.

"I still can't believe you did this for me. You went through all this trouble, just for me! I don't know what to say! I'm just speechless!"

"It wasn't any trouble." Kevin responded casually, shrugging. Actually it had been trouble. A lot of trouble, in fact. His parents had looked at him like he'd grown a second head when he asked this favor of them. They weren't nosy, so they didn't ask why, but they sure as hell wondered it. Kevin had never shown an interest in plays or shows of any kind, so this had really come out of left field.

"I find that hard to believe." Jamie said, smiling earnestly at him. He could see right through Kevin, but if the other man wanted to make the achievement seem easier than it was, he'd let him have that.

Jamie sighed heavily, gazing out at the city while leaning on his arms against the railing, streaks of light darting across the sky.

"It's so much more grand in person! I've only ever seen Empire City in postcards, so I had an idea of what it was like, but this is so much more than what I could even imagine!"

Empire City glittered in his eyes as he gazed back out at it, wondering what it would be like to perform on a stage as big as the one in the theater they were at - what if he got to perform here one day?

He could see his name in flashing lights, high above the people that meandered down below. He could be somebody here.

"Doesn't compare to that speck of dirt we're from, does it?" Kevin asked, resting one elbow on the railing as he watched Jamie's expression.

Jamie laughed quietly, looking over at Kevin.

"Well, no. But this place doesn't have sentient rock women." He chuckled at the dismissive eye roll Kevin gave at that. "Besides, Beach City is my home, nothing could replace it. But I could really see myself here someday..."

A pleasant quiet settled between them as they drank in the gorgeous view, and all too soon, the young actor noticed a mass movement back towards the building.

"I think the break is almost over." Jamie piped up, watching people file back into the theater slowly.

"Break? Wait, it's not over?" Kevin asked, gaping at Jamie, making the thespian laugh.

"No, of course not! That was only act one! The play isn't even half over yet!"

"Jesus, how many acts does it have?" Kevin asked incredulously, combing his fingers through his hair in exasperation while Jamie could only snicker, leading him back inside by the hand.

The night flew by like shooting stars, and when the production had finally ended, the full moon hung high in the sky, glowing proudly over them.

"There was way too much crying in that." Kevin stated firmly as they walked out of the theater, having hung back to avoid the inevitable flow of people as they tried to leave.

The younger man had slipped off his suit jacket, now holding it over his shoulder while hooking his thumb on his pants loop, leaving Jamie to openly gawk at him in his dress shirt now.

"Too much crying from me or the actors?" He asked, rather unashamedly watching Kevin. God, was he handsome. It was almost unreal, and certainly unfair.

"I'd say fifty/fifty." Kevin teased, glancing over at Jamie before he stopped walking and grinned.

"You're staring at me again."

Jamie felt his cheeks grow warm at once, laughing slightly as he looked away, shrugging.

"I can't help it if you look like you were chiseled from marble by the Gods themselves..."

"Tell me something I don't know." Kevin smirked, winked at him and earning an unusually high pitched giggle from the other man.

"Oh dear, did I say that out loud?" He asked, now hiding his face with his hand, clearly aware of the mild warmth in his face now becoming a burning heat.

"You did." Kevin grinned, stepping in front of him with an arrogant smile plastered on his face. "Don't be shy baby, I know I'm perfect."

Jamie couldn't help but roll his eyes at the expression, his own smile still present.

"You're so self centered."

"Who else am I gonna be centered on?"

The thespian snorted, trying to cover his mouth in an attempt to hide it. Kevin could make him laugh so effortlessly.

The two had reached Kevin's car by now, the lights of the city shining off of its polished hood, and the chrome rims showing a warped reflection of the buildings. It looked much more natural in the big city, surrounded by sky scrapers and neon signs, than in their beach side home.

"Seriously, this was the most unbelievable thing anybody has ever done for me." Jamie told him, watching Kevin sit on the hood of his car to listen to him. "Never in a hundred years, in my wildest fantasies did I ever think I'd come here and get to do this!"

Well, okay, maybe in his wildest fantasies, but that's all they'd been - fantasies. Hopeless dreams of a hopeless dreamer. But Kevin, he'd made them become reality!

"Don't mention it." Kevin told him, and the smile he gave Jamie tugged so tightly at his heartstrings.

"You know," Jamie started, resting his hands on his waist, offering Kevin an endearing gaze, "for someone who everyone else calls such a jerk, you can be kind of sweet when you want to."

"Well don't spread that around." Kevin scoffed. "I've got a reputation to keep up, baby."

Jamie giggled, giving Kevin a wistful, longing look as he replied with simply, "I know."

Kevin saw the movement out of the corner of his eye, but it still came as a shock when Jamie pressed a soft, lingering kiss to his cheek. When the young actor pulled away, eyelids flitting back up, he was greeted with the rare sight of Kevin wide eyed and blushing.

"I just wanted to say thank you, one last time." He told him, smiling softly. "For a night I will never forget."

(-)

"Were you even listening to me?" Ronaldo's nasally voice cut through Jamie's reminiscing like a knife, jolting him out of his dreamy eyed stance. He was back in reality, in the present.

"Oh, ah, sorry. Zoned out a bit there." Jamie admitted, tugging nervously at the jacket sleeves. He seriously needed to get over doing this, it was a bad habit.

He didn't like the look Ronaldo was giving him. It was a look of suspicion, and it made Jamie uneasy as he could only look back at him.

"What?"

Ronaldo scoffed loudly, pushing his glasses up higher on his nose as he spoke.

"It's so obvious what you were thinking about. I recognized all the signs."

"Did you now?" Jamie asked, sighing. Oh boy, here we go again.

"You can't hide a secret from me. My mind is like a steel trap." the blogger told him, bringing his hands together to simulate what he meant. "Nothing escapes my analytical brain!"

"Alright..." At times like this, it was just best to let him ramble. They didn't have much longer to wait for the race to begin, Jamie figured, so there was no harm in letting Ronaldo speak his mind. "What was I thinking about then?"

You knew you were in for an earful when Ronaldo put his hand under his chin, stroking an invisible beard like he was some old man with wisdom beyond his years.

"Well, clearly you were swept away in a flood of emotions, longing and desire serving as the thunder and lightening in the storm that is raging in your heart!"

"Very colorful use similes there, Ronaldo." Jamie smiled.

"Thank you. I have quite the vocabulary." Ronaldo replied, allowing himself a moment of pride before adding, "Long story short, you were thinking about your boyfriend."

Now _that_ hit him like a ton of bricks.

"What, no! I wasn't, he's not, we're not- Kevin's not my boyfriend!" Once again, Ronaldo gave him a suspicious look, though this one seemed to be more one of disbelief.

It made Jamie's cheeks flush hotly as he tugged the hood of Kevin's jacket up over his head.

They weren't boyfriends! Were they? Jamie wasn't opposed to the idea, not at all. In fact, now that he thought about it, being the hopeless romantic that he was, it made his heart ache.

The reason Jamie had been opposed to calling them anything before was because of the last time he felt similar about someone, that being Garnet, it wasn't real, and he got himself hurt in the end. He'd rushed into something too fast without stopping to consider if what he was feeling was authentic or just the heat of the moment.

But he and Kevin had been dating for almost a month now, and his feelings towards him had only grown. If there was ever something Jamie felt sure of, it was this.

However... the same couldn't be said for Kevin.

Aside from Jenny, who Kevin hadn't heard, they'd been mistaken for a couple by another person. It was after they'd left the ice cream parlor, holding one another's hand. The two had been talking freely about anything and everything that came to mind.

A woman, probably in her twenties, had been watching them for a few minutes before coming up to them. She apologized in advance for seeming forward, but she felt the need to tell them that they made the cutest couple before leaving them.

It had left Jamie feeling both flustered and flattered, but when he looked at Kevin, it was clear he didn't feel the same.

Kevin had reacted... weirdly. Not looking at anyone or anything in particular, just staring straight ahead, eyes wide and expression unreadable. Afterwards, he seemed distant and absentminded, only coming back to his senses when Jamie waved a hand in front of his face. That had snapped him out of his peculiar daze enough for Kevin to suggest they go ahead and go to Jamie's place.

It had been so bizarre that Jamie had no idea how to even address the situation, so he'd dropped it entirely.

"If you're not his boyfriend," Ronaldo spoke up again, earning a groan from Jamie, "then why are you wearing his jacket, hmmmmm?"

"Because I was cold." He responded, peeking out at him from behind the hood.

"You wore it last week, too."

"I was cold then, too!" Jamie buried his face in his hands, letting out a low whine.

"Can we please change the subject? To literally anything else?"

Ronaldo pondered what he said for a moment before making a wild, excited hand gesture.

"Oh, I know! Have you seen Koala Princess?"

He really should have chosen his words more carefully.

"Uh, no, can't say that I have."

"And you call yourself a movie lover. Clearly you need to educate yourself. I can lend it to you sometime!" the blogger offered. "I think Sour Cream has it. I've gotta ask Peedee to remind him to give it back once he's done helping him put up those missing flyers. Or does Steven have it?"

"I didn't know Sour Cream... wait, did you say missing flyers?" The roar of the car engines on top of the hill drew Jamie's eyes upward, making him almost not hear Ronaldo's response.

"Yeah, my dad asked Peedee to help. Buck and Jenny are helping Sour Cream after Buck's potluck, too. That's why they're not here tonight. That, and no one likes to race that jerk Kevin. I think they're printing them out to put up tomorrow."

"But, why would they be putting up missing flyers?" Jamie asked, his voice rising. "Has something happened?"

"Well, duh. Onion's gone missing."

That caught Jamie off guard, who looked at Ronaldo in shock. Had he heard him correctly?

"Onion's _missing_?"

"Well, yeah." Ronaldo responded, pushing up his glasses as he regarded Jamie like this was just common knowledge. "If you want my professional blogger opinion, aliens are behind it. Haven't you noticed?"

"I- no... No, I haven't." Jamie said, staring at the ground wide eyed while placing a hand against his head.

Onion was missing? God, how had he missed that? Then again, neither Sour Cream nor Vidalia had ordered anything, and the latter hadn't been outside painting recently, so he hadn't gotten the chance to speak with either of them.

Sure, he hadn't noticed Onion around recently, but he was an oddball of a kid. He was always wandering off to the Beach City Woods or finding his way onto the roofs of buildings, or inside the arcade machines. Jamie hadn't taken his recent absence as anything unusual.

Poor Vidalia must have felt awful...

"He's been missing for a few days." Ronaldo continued, snapping Jamie out of his thoughts. "Of course, I guess you were too busy with your new boyfriend to realize that."

"Would you stop calling him that?! He's not-"

The sound of squealing tires cut Jamie off, and everyone's attention was drawn back to the cars, effectively ending their discussion.

Onion... he'd have to ask Vidalia about him tomorrow. For now, he wanted to push away those troubling thoughts and cheer his lungs out for Kevin.

Jamie's voice rose out above everyone else's, yelling 'Go Kevin' as loud as he could, while the other people around him seemed to cheer for the other driver.

"It's superfluous to cheer for him, you know." Ronaldo told him. "He's probably going to win anyways, he always does. That's why no one likes to race him."

Jamie decided to wholeheartedly ignore him.

Kevin won the race by a good margin, screeching to a halt at the bottom of the hill while the competitor rolled up behind him. There was a clear annoyance from the crowd, either groaning or sighing, but it didn't faze Jamie as he clapped for him.

"Boo!" Ronaldo yelled beside him, cupping his hands around his mouth like a megaphone. "Kevin sucks! Kevin is the worst - ow!"

Jamie elbowed him sharply in the side, but he played it off as an accident.

"Congrats!" Jamie cheered, smiling. Kevin had been incredible to watch. It was hard to believe the car could go that fast.

"Like there was any ever doubt." Kevin remarked, flipping his hair back and flashing Jamie a grin and a wink. "Who wants to take me on next?"

The next few races carried on the same, and by the end, it wasn't even close to who would win, with Jamie's cheers ringing out through the hills as he watched the cars speed down and drift around curves and sharp bends.

Eventually, there was almost no one left to challenge him, and those who were thought better of it.

"What, is that it?" Kevin asked, his arrogance shining through. Even Jamie couldn't deny that he could be conceited. "What can you expect when you're an angel among a bunch of garbage people?"

"Don't say that!" Jamie said, shoving him and earning snicker from the other man.

If no one else was going to bother coming up, then clearly they weren't worth his time.

"C'mon, babe. I'll take you home." Kevin offered, opening the door for him.

Jamie could feel Ronaldo's eyes on him, and only caught a glimpse of his smug smile as Kevin closed the door.

Kevin decided to take the scenic route back towards the heart of Beach City, one hand resting on the steering wheel while the elbow of his free arm was resting in the open window.

"I wasn't sure what to expect from tonight, but it was fun!" Jamie told him. "But I definitely think I'll only be observing. No offense to your driving, but I'm pretty sure with how fast you were going, I'd get sick."

Kevin had to agree with that, and while he loved having Jamie in the seat next to him, he didn't want to risk ruining the interior.

"The night's still young." Kevin spoke up, his voice dipping back into that sultry purr, as smooth as velvet, that made Jamie's knees weak. "Why don't we stay out a while longer?"

Kevin's offer was oh so tempting, but Jamie managed to resist it. It took quite a bit of restraint on his part, might he add.

"I'd love to, really," Jamie started, taking note of the glint in Kevin's eyes, which quickly faded when he added, "but I have to get up early for work."

"How can you stand having a job?" Kevin asked, glancing over at Jamie. "Being told what to do, where to go, when to get up. Ugh."

"It's not all bad." Jamie replied with his usual brand of optimism. "I love my job. And it's not like I plan to do this for my entire life. Just until I have enough to get my footing in show business."

However long that took...

"I just thank God I don't need a job." Kevin muttered. He was not cut out for work of any kind.

"We can't all be rich like you." Jamie teased, heart warming at the smirk Kevin gave him.

"Ain't nobody in this world like me, baby."

That was so true.

"Who knows, maybe you'd like having a job, if you gave it a chance. It would give you a purpose, and something to do. Pride and accomplishment!"

Kevin actually laughed out loud, looking over at Jamie briefly.

"That's a funny joke, Jamie."

"I'm serious!" The thespian retorted. "I may not have the most exciting job in the world, but I put my all into it, and I've met some interesting people as a result."

"Like me?"

Jamie could feel warmth blooming across his cheeks, though the shadows cast by the interior of the car concealed that.

"Yeah... like you."

There was a moment of silence before Kevin spoke up again.

"Maybe you can earn enough to afford a place better than that shitty apartment."

Jamie pretended to be offended, placing one hand against his chest while leaning away from Kevin.

"Are you insulting my apartment? I'll have you know it's rather cozy!"

"It's the size of a shoe box!" Kevin laughed. "How is that crummy place cozy?"

Jamie gave an exaggerated gasp, falling back against the leather seat while resting the back of his palm to his forehead.

"I'm hurt! You've wounded me!"

Kevin started laughing again, struggling to keep his focus on the road. Jamie could be such a diva at times.

Jamie's own laughter soon followed, holding his forehead as he did. It was nice - when he'd first met Kevin, he could barely speak around him. And now the two could joke freely, and he could even be goofy around him without fear that he would judge him for it. And the same went for Kevin. He didn't have to try and act cool around Jamie; everything he did left the other man star struck. They could just be themselves.

After the laughter quieted and Jamie had calmed down, he let a peaceful smile rest on his face.

"It's not about money, anyways." He said quietly. "Acting is my dream. I would gladly do it for free."

He heard Kevin snort, shaking his head at him.

"You're weird, Jamie."

"Well," Jamie said, his voice rising with his exclamation, "if being passionate about what I do is weird, than I don't want to be normal! Also, at least I don't announce it's _Jamie time_ when I'm about to do something."

"Oh my God, will you let that go?!"

"I will never let that go!" Jamie laughed, hearing Kevin groan.

Kevin could only roll his eyes, sighing before feeling himself smile. He didn't mind Jamie's teasing as much as he acted, and he'd gotten over him finding his catchphrase silly. It was impossible to stay annoyed at him, and even when they weren't on a date, he just enjoyed being around him.

Jamie sank back into the leather, eyes slipping shut as he let his mind wander again. Unfortunately, it wandered right back to what Ronaldo had said.

Boyfriends... Well, Kevin was in a good mood now. Maybe it would be okay to bring it up?

And everything had been going so well.

"You know, Ronaldo thought we were boyfriends." Jamie laughed, feeling comfortable in the seat. "Weird, right?"

He didn't get a response.

Opening his eyes, he looked over at Kevin. He looked stiff as a board, arms tense as he gripped the steering wheel and stared straight ahead, unblinking.

Jamie had seen him like that before... It was after the ice cream parlor all over again.

"Kevin?" He asked, sitting forward slightly. He didn't seem to hear him. He didn't flinch or react even slightly.

"Kevin?" This time his voice came out louder and much more concerned, eyebrows knit together as he reached for the other man hesitantly. What was wrong with him?

The car noticeably began to swerve into the next lane, making Jamie's head snap forward in panic. He could see headlights coming towards them, and was overwhelmed by a sickly feeling of fear and dread.

 _"KEVIN!"_

That seemed to finally jolt Kevin out of his zombie like state, breathing in sharply as he swerved the car back into their lane, just missing the other vehicle as it honked angrily at them as it passed.

Jamie was shaking, his chest rising and falling rapidly while his heart seemed to have lodged itself in his throat and his fingernails dug into the leather seat. Kevin's arm's were visibly trembling, his own breathing coming out labored.

When Jamie finally did find his voice again, once he was sure he wouldn't throw up from the still lingering fear, it quivered.

"Kevin, what was-"

"Yeah, weird! Totally weird!" Kevin replied, laughing slightly. He was responding to what Jamie had said before any of this happened, about Ronaldo. "Guy's out of his mind!"

"Uh... sure. Just looking for an excuse to make up another conspiracy, I guess."

"He's crazy!" Kevin laughed. It sounded forced. "Completely crazy."

Jamie's heart rate had begun to alleviate again, and his nerves were slowly but surely mellowing out. But that did nothing for his worry over Kevin's odd behavior. What had happened back there...

Whatever had happened, he decided to drop the subject. He didn't think Kevin would be willing to talk about it, anyways.

(-)

Jamie could never get used to the sight of Kevin's fancy car outside of the apartment building he lived at. It just looked so out of place there.

It had become a regular thing, for Kevin to walk him up to his apartment after their dates, now. It was sweet of him, in Jamie's eyes. Some old fashioned chivalry. Or an excuse for Kevin to drag out his flirting for as long as possible, either or.

Despite the... incident in the car, he'd had another wonderful night. And Jamie had been quick to dissolve the tension after Kevin had seized up, getting him to relax again. They'd been back to joking in no time, though the gnawing concern was still in the back of his mind.

"I know I've said it already, but tonight was great." Jamie told him, stopping in front of his apartment as he began to slip off Kevin's jacket.

"It's not possible to have a bad time when you're with me, baby." Kevin replied, watching Jamie. "You sure you don't wanna hold onto that, cutie? Keep a piece of me with you?"

"I've stolen this from you long enough." Jamie laughed, forcing it back into Kevin's arms, satisfied when the other man put it back on. He was already missing it's warmth.

"What do I have to say to get you to play hooky tomorrow?" Kevin asked, watching Jamie retrieve his key from his pants pocket. "I hate waiting for you to get off work."

"Nothing you can say could convince me! Please don't try because that's probably not true." He added with a slight laugh, turning to unlock his apartment. "I've never skipped out on a day of work unless I was sick, and I'm not about to start now! Besides, Barbara would have my head if she caught me sneaking off with you. She's a mother, she can smell a lie from a mile away. I'll try to finish as early as I can."

Kevin groaned loudly, running his fingers from both hands through his hair.

"Why do you have to be such a goody two-shoes?"

"Because one of us has to behave, and I don't think you want to." Jamie joked, successfully unlocking the door, but not yet opening it, fiddling with the keys instead. He just wanted this moment to last a little bit longer.

Despite the gripes Kevin had with Jamie being stubborn about his work, the retort he shot back at him did earn a snicker from him.

Jamie was right. He didn't want to behave.

When Jamie turned to face him, a 'goodnight' on his lips, Kevin moved forward. The sharp gasp he let out was cut off when Kevin's mouth moved over his, sealing his lips with a deep, fervent kiss. The shock of the action made Jamie drop his keys, and they clattered uselessly to the ground.

Kevin pressed his body against him, one hand gripping Jamie's waist while the other held his cheek, forcing his back flat against the door. His dark eyes were closed, concealing the unbridled lust in them. He'd intended to give Jamie only a small taste of him; just enough to leave him wanting more. But he couldn't bring himself to pull away - not after the teasing and several near kisses. He'd been wanting this too much. He was allowed to be greedy.

Jamie's eyes were still wide with shock a few seconds into the kiss, but as that familiar warmth spread through his abdomen, and he became so incredibly _aware_ of Kevin's lips against his, his eyelids fluttered shut softly. His heart raced when his trembling hands finally found Kevin's shoulders, pulling him closer until they were completely flush against one another. Only a moment later did his arm snake under Kevin's, gripping onto his jacket as though for dear life while the other hand moved to the back of his neck, fingers curling in the locks of hair that fell past the nape.

It all felt so heated and intense and impassioned. Jamie could taste the mint on his tongue, he could feel the heat radiating off him, the kiss only growing more vehement and urgent as the seconds drew on, but time seemed to have stopped for them.

The soft moan the kiss drew from Jamie made Kevin's own heartbeat skip, and he growled low in his throat, approving as he let the hand caressing Jamie's cheek fall to his neck, tilting his head back more to deepen the kiss.

He couldn't get enough of him.

 _If only they didn't need to breath._

They each made it last as long as they could, neither wanting to part. But Kevin could feel himself getting light headed, and even surprised himself at the whine he let out when Jamie finally pulled away, gasping for air.

Jamie couldn't catch his breath, chest heaving with the effort to get oxygen back into his lungs as his head fell back against the door. Kevin was faring similarly, his breathing coming out in labored pants as he braced himself against the door with his hand. The look in his eyes - pupils dilated, clouded with desire and want - were mirrored perfectly in Jamie's half lidded ones as he stared up at him, still craving to taste him.

The fresh air in his lungs did seem to clear the heavy fog that had settled in Kevin's mind, and that damn smirk of his returned when he leaned in closer, watching Jamie tilt his head up to catch his lips again.

But if Jamie could be a tease back at the rave, so could Kevin right now.

Instead of going for his lips, Kevin angled the kiss down, pressing his lips against Jamie's neck and shuddering at the sigh it drew from him. Jamie really had no idea just what he did to him.

He pulled away all too suddenly, making Jamie blink stupidly while Kevin knelt down, retrieving his keys from the floor and handing them back to him.

"Text me when you get off work." His voice was barely above a whisper, and it was laced with the still present yearning. It was taking every ounce of impulse control in him not to completely _devour_ Jamie.

"Uh huh." Jamie's response was more of a breath, earning a small laugh from Kevin.

He was so damn cute.

Kevin allowed himself one last kiss - they'd nearly kissed twice before, so he was just making up for the lost chances. This one was chaste but sweet, making Jamie's heart ache when he pulled away, leaving him as he walked down the hall.

"Goodnight, Jamie."

The young man couldn't bring himself to even form a response, his thoughts as erratic as his heartbeat.

Somehow, he stumbled into his apartment, falling back against the door to close it. It was like he was seeing everything in there for the first time.

Then everything clicked into place.

It started as a small giggle, bubbling up into snickering and then laughter, before he cried out joyfully, the yell ringing out through the apartment building. Which did not go unnoticed by Kevin as he walked outside.

The thespian in him really was starting to shine.

He fell backwards onto his couch, laying over the arm as he swooned, letting his hand rest daintily against his forehead.

"Be still my racing heart! Or I fear I may faint!"

He felt like he was on a cloud, light and airy as he leapt up, unable to keep still. Everything had played out so perfectly, like he was the star of his own romance movie. Kevin was the Romeo to his Juliet! Except with less poison. And family drama. Okay, maybe Romeo and Juliet was a bad example.

He couldn't contain himself, the joy on his face making him glow as he spun around, throwing his arms out.

And knocking over the lamp on his table, which he made a made dash to grab, missing and watching it shatter to pieces on the ground.

 _Shit._

Well, he'd worry about that in the morning.

When he finally made it to his room, he didn't bother to change, flopping onto the tiny twin sized bed, laughter still erupting from him. He didn't know if he'd be able to get any sleep, not with the energy rushing through him.

This feeling, this glow inside him - it was beyond compare. Jamie had never felt anything like this before. The closest he'd come to feeling this strong a sense of euphoria, this pure elation and ecstasy, this all encompassing rapture, was the first time he'd performed on stage.

As he closed his eyes, willing his racing heart to settle, Jamie could still feel the tingling sensation of Kevin's lips pressed so desperately against his, that warmth still present in his abdomen, and the scent of Kevin's cologne still lingering on his own clothes, filling his head.

Somehow, after his excitement began to wind down and his body was hit with the inevitable crash after such a surge of adrenaline, the young actor finally drifted off to sleep, the smile never falling from his face.

(-)

"Good morning, Barbara! Isn't it such a beautiful day?"

Barbara looked up from her list of deliveries, barking out a laugh at the dreamy eyed look on Jamie's face.

"Well, you're awfully spritely this morning. Got a spring in your step and a glow in your face! Something happen last night?"

Jamie sighed, looking over at her as he rested his cheek against his hand, leaning against the front desk of the mail office.

"A date."

"Must have been some date, then! Haven't seen a smile that big on you since Mayor Dewey had you do that play for him. Was it with that Kevin boy?" Barbara asked, watching Jamie pull his hat down over his eyes to give himself a look of mystique.

"Well, I'm not the type to kiss and tell."

Barbara punched him in the shoulder, nearly making Jamie fall face first into the desk as she laughed boisterously, leaning back as she rested her hands on her hips.

"Holy smokes, good for you! I hope I can take some of the credit. It's thanks to me you two even met! I don't even get a hug for it? Oh!" She didn't expect Jamie to actually hug her. "I was only kidding!"

Jamie laughed, stepping back as he rubbed the soreness in his shoulder from where she'd slugged him.

"Kidding or not, thank you Barbara. Truly, you are a saint!"

"Well shucks, kiddo." She said. "You're gonna make this old woman blush! And don't call me a saint just yet, you've got a busy day of deliveries ahead of you. But, your favorite customer is first on your list!"

"Kevin?"

"No, it ain't Kevin." She laughed, shaking her head. "Oh you crazy kids and your crushes. It's Steven!"

"Oh, right." Jamie laughed, taking the decently shaped box she handed him. "Thank you, Barbara. I'll see you soon!"

Jamie hummed pleasantly to himself as he strolled outside into the sun. It was warmer today, a welcomed change. The air was fresh and the sea glistened. Nothing could ruin this day.

As he began to walk along the sandy shore to the temple he knew so well by now, he decided to check what curious item Steven had ordered for himself this time. When he read the label, he couldn't help but laugh.

"Distinguished Khakis for Distinguished Boys? Oh Steven, you're too funny."


	4. Return to Sender

(Takes place during 'Are You My Dad?' and 'I Am My Mom')

Jamie never texted Kevin after work.

In fact, Kevin hadn't heard from the mailman all day, and it kind of threw him off. Over the past few weeks, their texts had become part of his routine, and Kevin had begun to look forward to hearing from Jamie more and more. Even over the phone, he was just as cute and funny.

Today especially Kevin had been eager to hear from him. No, using 'eager' sounded too needy. Was 'impatient' any better?

Either way, Kevin had been waiting around for Jamie's message that he was done with work for hours. He'd said he'd try to get off early, after all, so what gives?

After last night, 'early' couldn't come fast enough.

Last night, the kiss - God, that _kiss_. It had been a spur of the moment thing, with Kevin acting only on impulse and desire. But lord help him, he couldn't remember the last time he'd wanted to kiss someone that badly, or when a kiss had left him feeling quite like _that._

Not even with...

 _Anyways_ , the point was Kevin had been left in anticipation all day for a response that never came, and the day long silence from Jamie was so unusual for him. And silence didn't sit well with Kevin - generally, that was a sign that he'd done something wrong.

That couldn't be it, though. What could he possibly have done wrong? Last night had been fantastic; so had the last few weeks, for that matter. But that was just to be expected when you were dating perfection.

The only hiccup had been during the drive home... _Oh_.

Would that be enough to make Jamie pull back?

Kevin hadn't gone out of Beach City that day like he frequently did - he'd been anticipating seeing Jamie again too much to bother going anywhere else. But with the day half over, and it being later than when the mailman usually finished his route, Kevin wasn't sure what to make of the lack of responses. He did have one option left - go visit him in person.

He'd probably just forgotten his phone at home, Kevin thought as he got into his car. True, Jamie was usually very careful about making sure he had everything he needed before leaving his apartment, but everyone had an off day.

Kevin liked to imagine Jamie had been too distracted thinking about last night to notice he'd left his phone. It had damn sure been on his mind well into the night.

The drive to Jamie's apartment was one Kevin was comfortably familiar with, but that didn't stop a sense of unease from creeping up on him. He ignored it easily - it was nothing, just nerves. What had happened in the car ride last night had been forgotten soon after, that couldn't be why Jamie wasn't responding. He'd just left his phone at home...

Kevin spun his car keys around his finger casually as he began the trip up to Jamie's apartment on the second floor, running his hand through his hair as he reached the landing and strolled over to his door. He knocked briefly before resting one hand on the wall and the other on his waist, smiling expectantly.

"Hey cutie, you didn't lose my number or something, did you? You had me waiting all day."

He listened for Jamie's tell-tale giggling on the other side of the door, or for the sounds of him fumbling with whatever he may have been holding. Kevin was looking forward to seeing his flustered face as he opened the door, and to kissing his blush.

But that didn't happen.

After a few moments of silence, Kevin's smile slipped slightly, but didn't vanish completely.

"C'mon baby. What, did I do something?"

Still no answer.

Okay... now he was worried. Frowning, Kevin knocked again. Even if Jamie was too busy to answer the door immediately, he'd call out that he was there. And he had to be there; this was later than he'd ever finished work, and he always came home first. He didn't like wearing his uniform any longer than he had to, Jamie had told him that the day he'd met him. And since then, he'd even refused to get the smallest thing to eat after work until he was changed. Kevin knew his routine by now.

Had he done something wrong? Had the incident in the car really been that bad? He'd almost wrecked, but... No, no, Jamie had been so happy when he left him back at his apartment last night. He'd enjoyed himself. He'd wanted to see him again soon. That couldn't be it. But then why wasn't he answering?

Why did he feel anxious?

"Jamie?"

"Are you asking for the mailman?"

 _Shit!_

Kevin jumped in alarm, losing his hold on the wall and nearly falling into Jamie's door. When he recovered, he spun around, shooting a dirty look at whoever had spoken. The voice, quiet and curious, came from behind Kevin, somewhere to the left of him.

Some girl, mousy and freckle faced, with long brown hair she pulled back with a clip, was watching the young man curiously. When Kevin saw her, it took him a moment to recognize her - that ticket girl, from the movie theater. The one who talked to Jamie. She was his apartment neighbor, that's why the two had talked so comfortably before. He still hadn't bother to learn her name; he didn't _care._

"You always sneak up on people like that?" Kevin sneered, fidgeting with his jacket before folding his arms. He wasn't usually so jumpy, but he'd not been paying attention and thus she'd caught him off guard. He'd been too lost in his own thoughts to notice when she walked up behind him, waiting for Jamie to open the door. He didn't have time for this.

"Sorry." She apologized, bowing her head shyly before adding, "Didn't mean to scare you."

"I wasn't scared." Kevin scoffed. He was just a little on edge, is all.

At Kevin's response, the girl lifted her head, looking at him nervously. She seemed embarrassed about the whole situation.

"If you say so. But you're looking for Jamie, right?" The girl asked, adjusting the purse on her shoulder. "You two were together at the movie the other week. I remember you. And you're that guy who likes to race. Ronaldo took me to a few when we were together."

"Yeah." He was a harder face to forget than hers. "Guess you know Jamie, then?"

"Uh huh. Well, sort of. Yes?" She stammered. The way she tripped over her words made Kevin roll his eyes. It wasn't cute like when Jamie would do it, all it did from her was aggravate him. He just wanted her to get to the point. "I mean, yeah, I know him. We say hi when we pass each other in the halls and we talk. I see him every day. He's nice. He's mentioned you before. It's... Kevin, right?"

Jamie had mentioned him?

"Uh, anyways, he's not back from work yet."

Kevin didn't have long to think about what the brunette had said before the new revelation hit him, and he frowned. Not home yet? That didn't make sense. Give or take ten minutes, he always got home around this time. Hell, this was later than usual. Unless he'd got caught up in another half an hour long, one-sided discussion with that fry guy again, the one from the drag race last night.

"How would _you_ know if he was back yet or not?"

"Well, I see him every morning," She quickly explained, her nasally voice beginning to seriously grate on Kevin, "And I pass by him when he gets home from work almost every day. He usually gets home just as I leave for my job. I'm just running late today because I was debating with my mom on the phone whether I should go to work because of what's been happening. I'm Jane, by the way."

"Didn't ask." Kevin replied, turning his back to her as he glanced at his phone; still nothing. But this saved him from seeing the dirty look Jane shot at him.

"Did you try his phone?" She piped up again, now being the one to receive an irritated glare. She really got on his nerves.

"Do I look stupid to you? Of course I tried his phone!" Kevin snapped, gesturing dismissively to Jamie's door. "He probably just forgot it or something."

"No... No, he had it this morning."

Kevin looked at her, eyebrows knitting together.

"He has his phone?"

"Yeah, " Jane nodded. "He's always checking it to make sure he leaves on time. I like to sit outside to drink my coffee, and he had it when he left this morning."

Oh...

A new sense of unease began to settle in his stomach, but he pushed it away as he turned to leave without another word.

Jamie was... still working. That was it. He must still be doing deliveries, and it was a long, busy day. That's why he hadn't texted him. Or he'd gotten sidetracked on his way home, no big deal. If that was the case, he could just drive around his route until he found him and give him a ride to help speed things up.

That didn't explain the silence from him though.

Pocketing his phone, Kevin jogged back down the flight of stairs to his car. That worry was still lingering at the edges of his mind, but he shrugged it off. Sure it was weird, but it was nothing to get himself worked up over. Jamie was just busy. Kevin would see him on his route and tease him relentlessly for forgetting to text him back during the day. It would be fine.

Once he saw him again.

(-)

Kevin didn't like feeling anxious.

He'd driven along Jamie's entire route twice, and hadn't spotted him at all, and oddly enough, all of the mailboxes still had their flags up. He hadn't seen him by the docks, or taking a break at the park, or stuck talking to Ronaldo. Another call and a few more texts went unanswered as well. Yes, he'd even called him.

Kevin drummed his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel, gnawing on the inside of his cheek nervously while tapping his foot on the gas pedal as he came to a stop sign. He took the moment to briefly glance down at his phone, a screen of his own texts and his reflection staring back at him.

'Went by your place. Still working, babe? ;) '

'Driving around, if you need a lift let me know.'

'Met your neighbor. She's weird.'

'Can't wait to see you.'

'Are you okay?'

At the last text, Kevin felt a wave of embarrassment hit him, making his face burn. He hadn't realized just how many texts he'd sent since this morning. It made him look creepy and desperate. Jamie's phone just had to be dead, Kevin decided, getting annoyed with himself as he tossed the phone into the passenger seat and began to drive again, forcing himself to focus on the road.

Was he bothering Jamie? Was that why he wouldn't respond? No, of course not! After last night, he doubted that was the issue. Unless the kiss had somehow scared Jamie off for being so sudden, but that seemed even more ridiculous. The kiss couldn't have been too much, not with how Jamie had kissed him _back_ , not when he'd heard the other man's yell of excitement as he left the apartment building.

They'd been going on dates for weeks, it's not like the kiss happened too soon. Hell, it had almost happened on the first date. And they weren't official yet, but -

Kevin slammed on the breaks, car lurching forward before he fell back against his seat, eyes wide and hands tight on the steering wheel.

Yet... he'd thought they weren't an official couple _'yet'_.

After a few tense moments, Kevin began to backtrack on that thought as he drove again, physically shaking his head.

No, no, they weren't going to become a thing. What they had was fine - going on dates, being happy, no strings attached, no labels. That's what Kevin preferred, now anyways. He'd already had his heart broken, been lead along and then tossed aside the moment he started taking things seriously. He wasn't going to let himself be roped up in another relationship and be humiliated again like he'd been with Sabina -

 _Okay_ , this train of thought needed to end _immediately._ He wasn't going to do this to himself; he did not need to think about her right now. She was the last thing he needed on his mind when looking for Jamie.

Just as Kevin's thoughts began to drift, so did the car, veering just off the road. When Kevin finally calmed the storm of thoughts and mixed up emotions that was raging in his head, he saw a light pole in his path and yelled, stomping on the brakes and stopping just short of hitting it.

 _Deja vu._

Kevin leaned forward, resting his forehead against the steering wheel while trying to compose himself, breathing heavily. A moment later, he exploded, letting out a yell of anger before he shoved himself out of his car and slammed the door aggressively, throwing all of his frustrations into it before falling back to lean heavily against his car. Normally, he never treated his precious car harshly - it was one of his most prized possessions. But his nerves felt like a live wire, and everything about him was tense.

He combed his fingers through his hair, taking a deep breath as he closed his eyes. He needed to calm down.

Driving around looking for Jamie was getting him nowhere, and he was just wasting gas. He'd just look for him on foot, off route. It was all he could think of to do.

As Kevin began towards the boardwalk, he dug his palms into his eyes, groaning. What had gotten into him? He was well aware he had a short temper, but this was something different. This was more than anger - it was anxiety, and he didn't handle that well. He felt like a rubber band, taught and ready to snap.

The boardwalk was surprisingly empty. Generally, it was bustling with people, but not today. Everything just felt... weird, and it made Kevin uncomfortable. He didn't spend too much time in the town, but even he could tell that there was an uncharacteristic quiet that had settled over Beach City, like a heavy fog.

It did nothing to cease the feeling of paranoia that had begun to creep up his spine, but he disregarded it. Acknowledging that unsettling suspicion would be to admit that something was wrong, and there wasn't.

But that was getting more and more difficult to believe.

Movement to his left caught his eye, grabbing his attention. Glancing over, he noticed the DJ from the raves he often went to. What was his name? Sauerkraut? Whatever it was, he was putting something on a wall. A flyer, it looked like. Advertising a new rave? That's what Kevin guessed. Though as the teen passed him by, the look on his face...

A familiar voice further up ahead caught Kevin's attention, distracting him from his thoughts. Down at the fry stand, he spotted a stocky blonde woman talking to the owner. The woman who usually delivered to his house, Jamie's coworker. Finally, a break! If anyone knew where Jamie was, it would be her.

As he jogged closer, he just caught the end of the conversation between the two older adults, and it didn't sound pleasant.

"- but I'll have Peedee keep an eye out for Sadie too, Barbara. Ronaldo has been going on about this being tied to that alien stuff again. Honestly, sometimes I can't deal with that boy. This town is in a panic enough as it is, he's just going to cause a worse fuss than we already have."

The mailwoman, Barbara, sighed, placing one hand on her hip while the other rested on the counter. She looked distraught, and so much more her age than usual.

"Thanks Fryman. I'll tell you, if anything happens to my baby girl, there'll be hell to pay! This is just so crazy, and that oaf of a mayor hasn't done anything so far! Vidalia's younger kid, my Sadie, that boy she likes. And now Jamie? Who has to wind up missing next until he gets off his high horse and helps us?"

Kevin froze.

Jamie was _what?_

By that time, Kevin was close enough that the two conversing adults noticed him, and there was both surprise and recognition in Barbara's eyes. Now that she was facing him, Kevin could see she was holding one of the flyers Sauerkraut had been passing out. Somehow she didn't seem like part of the rave crowd...

Kevin never spoke to her when she delivered to his house - he was brisk and not one for chitchat, not until Jamie had come along and caught his attention without even trying. But he had seen her once before when walking with Jamie along his route about a week earlier. He hadn't paid much attention to Jamie's proper introduction of her, but he did remember the mailwoman being a loud, intense personality. All grins and slaps on the back. And she gave off an 'overbearing mom' vibe that Kevin hadn't cared for.

But now she couldn't be farther from the woman he'd met. She looked tired, frustrated and worried.

"Kevin, I didn't see you there." She stated, sharing a nervous glance with Fryman.

"Look, I'm not in the mood to talk." That had come out with more of a bite than he'd meant it to, but his nerves were starting to get to him again. Focus, calm down, he'd just misheard them. "Can you just tell me where Jamie is? I've been looking for him for more than a damn hour, and he's not answering his cell."

Normally, Barbara would have a few choice words for an attitude like Kevin's, as disrespect wasn't something she tolerated. But something he said made her frown, and she looked at him in concern.

"You think I know where he is?"

"Well, yeah." He didn't bother hiding his annoyance - why should he when people thought it was okay to waste his time with pointless fucking questions? He just wanted an answer. "You work with him, isn't it, like, your job to know?"

Something clicked, and Kevin was taken aback by the sudden look of sadness in her face. Or was it sympathy? He didn't need her pity, he just needed a straightforward response. He was getting fed up with this.

Barbara looked at Fryman again, who shared a similar expression of empathy. Why weren't they saying anything? Why were they looking at him like that, he didn't like it.

"You haven't heard yet, have you?"

All at once, the anxiety, the distress, and doubt he'd been fighting off all day hit him hard. It formed a pit in his stomach, and he felt a noticeable wave of nausea crash over him. He didn't like where this conversation was heading.

"Heard what, lady?"

Fryman spoke up for Barbara this time, leaning out over the counter so he could be more clearly heard, as though if he didn't speak plainly enough, Kevin wouldn't believe him.

"Jamie's gone missing."

 _What?_

 _No. No, that wasn't, he couldn't -_

"Bullshit!" Kevin snapped, his heart rate picking up as anger started bubbling up to the surface. "I just spoke to him last night!"

"And I spoke to him this morning." Barbara replied, keeping her own voice level while Kevin's raised. "Right before sending him on his route. Steven said he never got to his place, and none of the houses on his route have gotten their mail or had their mail taken."

"Yeah, I noticed that!" Kevin shouted, "I checked his route! Don't people usually have to be missing for, like, two days for it to count?"

"Have you not noticed what's been going on?" Fryman asked, unflinching under Kevin's seething glare. "People have been going missing for a few days now."

When Barbara offered the flyer she was holding for Kevin to look at, he snatched it from her, nearly tearing it when he brought it to his face to scan.

It wasn't for a rave - it was a missing person's flyer for some kid. That weird one that he'd spotted around town a few times.

When did his hands start shaking?

"Onion went missing a few days ago," Barbara spoke up again, with Kevin not looking up to acknowledge her. "My daughter never came home last night, and that Lars kid never made it to the party they were going to. They all went missing at night. Jamie is the first person to go missing in broad daylight."

"Stop saying that, he's not missing!" Kevin snapped, crumbling the paper he was holding into a ball. He couldn't look at it anymore.

"Look, kid," Barbara started carefully, "I want to believe they're fine too, but-"

"Don't call me a kid, I'm not a kid!" He yelled, clutching the sides of his head. He was breathing too fast, he needed to stop. But she wouldn't stop insisting Jamie was missing - he couldn't be.

Fryman tapped Barbara on the shoulder, saying something to her while the pair looked at Kevin worriedly. He knew they were talking about him, and he hated it.

"I'm helping Vidalia put up more of these flyers, but if you want to try and look for any signs of Jamie, his first stop was Steven's house."

"He's got that big house in the side of the cliffs." Fryman told him. He had experience handling freak outs, he'd done so enough with his older son. "You can't miss it. If he was heading that way, the beach is the best place to check."

"I know where his first stop is!" Kevin told them. His hands wouldn't stop shaking as closed them into fists. There'd been no reason to go down by the beach - why would Jamie still be at that stop when it was the very first one? But if he hadn't even reached the first house, would there be any sign of him there?

"Who knows, maybe this is all one big joke." Barbara told Kevin hopefully. She was trying to calm him down, but he wasn't even listening. "Maybe my girl and Jamie are just playing hooky for the day."

If this was a joke, it wasn't funny.

"I hope you find something." Barbara added, finally making Kevin look up at her. Despite her hopeful tone, she looked just as worried as he did.

"I don't want to put up missing flyers of them, too."

(-)

The beach was deserted.

On beautiful days like this, Kevin knew Jamie would have invited him to sit on the docks with him to watch the waves, and the two would talk about whatever came to mind. A part of him hoped he'd see him lounging on one of the rocks, simply caught up in daydreaming.  
But there wasn't a soul in sight.

Kevin wasn't in denial, it just didn't make sense. Why would he go missing? There was no reason anyone would go after Jamie. He refused to believe something bad happened, despite what everyone kept telling him.

Everyone else he encountered on his way to the beach, he'd ask about Jamie. Most of the responses he received were useless, except for one of the girls who worked at the pizza place. She'd waved to Jamie on her morning jog, and stated he had been heading for the beach, but she hadn't seen him come back like she usually did. So all evidence pointed there.

He kicked at the sand as he walked, hands deep in his pockets while his thoughts turned dark. People didn't just go missing. Not in this town. Nothing ever happened here, it was peaceful, and boring, and quaint, and quiet. The weirdest thing about the place was the rock women. And besides -

 _'No one's ever even been abducted.'_

Kevin's old words hit him like a punch to the gut.

 _Abducted._

He'd joked about it before, at the festival. But now that was seemingly becoming more and more of a potential reality, one that Kevin was refusing to believe in.

Why would anyone... abduct...

Something in the sand caught his attention. It was dark, and half buried, but it stood out starkly against the soft white grain. It wasn't far from the bend in the cliffs, where just beyond it the house was, though from this side it was completely hidden.

No one would have seen Jamie walking up. Or being attacked.

Kevin shook the thought from his mind as he knelt down, pulling the cloth from the sand. Was it just trash?

As he held it between his hands, his chest tightened while a sickening feeling slowly consumed him, an undeniable reality hitting him like a wave of ice, chilling him to the bone and turning him numb. A shadow settled over him as he looked it over in his hands. He recognized this...

It was part of the strap to Jamie's mailbag. He'd seen it enough, he knew the color. When the piece finally fell into place in his head, he dropped the piece of cloth like he'd been burned, gasping slightly.

As it fell back to the sand, Kevin noticed something else.

Massive footprints, larger than any human was capable of leaving and mostly blown away now by sand being disturbed and shifted by the wind, were still visible, and as Kevin stepped back himself, he noticed more and more.

It would be easy not to notice if you weren't paying attention, or specifically looking for something.

They appeared from behind a massive boulder that was next to the cliffs, walking forward. After that, the sand became a mess, showing some kind of commotion. It was too deformed now to make any sense of it. But it did lead to Kevin's eyes traveling over, drawn to the rock face of the cliffs, and his heart nearly stopped at what he saw.

Jamie's mailbag, almost blending in with the sand and so easy to miss, its strap torn and tossed aside, letters spilling out. And just past it, his hat, caught between two rocks.

Kevin stared for a moment before nearly tripping over himself as he ran to the items, grabbing them both, not caring that his hands trembled. He sat on one of the smaller boulders, inspecting both items, a cold sweat forming down his back despite the blazing heat of the sun.

In the bag was Jamie's phone, with all of Kevin's unanswered messages displaying brightly over a picture of them together in front of the theater in Empire City when he picked it up, before the screen turned dark and Kevin's own mortified reflection was all he saw staring back at him.

It felt like someone had reached directly into his chest and squeezed his heart, crushing it before ripping it right out of him.

Jamie had been attacked. Someone, or something, had taken him. Kevin didn't want to believe it, he wanted to be stubborn and pretend everything was alright. But even his confidence had its limits, and he'd reached them. It was impossible to deny something was horribly wrong when all of this evidence was staring him in the face.

It had been staring him in the face all day. He just chose to ignore the signs. He'd convinced himself at every turn that there was a reason for the silence, and the lateness. Everyone else had to be wrong, not him. He had a thousand excuses, but each and every one of them failed him now. Because now it was clear how blind he'd been, blind and stupid and bull-headed.

Because now it was too late, and Jamie was gone.

"Jamie..."

(-)

Kevin didn't know how long he'd sat on the beach.

The sun had begun to hang low in the sky when he finally forced himself to move, his body stiff and sluggish from having sat still for so long. He held the bag to his chest as he returned to the city, but the sight that greeted him was much different than when he'd been on the boardwalk earlier.

Now, almost every citizen had gathered together in a giant group. A crowd was not what he wanted to deal with right now, but when he heard some of the citizens calling out, he let himself be drawn in.

"There has to be something you can do, please!" It was an older woman speaking, with wild red hair and a blue dress with yellow ducks on it, her hands clasped together as she begged. "I've been trying to find my son all day! You're an officer, aren't you?"

"I'm a security guard!" The man spoke defensively, with almost as much desperation as the woman. "Martha I'm sorry, I know you want to find Lars, but there's only so much I can do!"

"What about Onion?" Another woman called, the fisherman and DJ at her sides. "Doug, has there been any sign of him?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know." Doug said. "The last I saw of him was at Funland a few days ago. I haven't seen him since. All I know is that Connie and Steven went looking for him."

As the crowd grew more restless, other voices calling out demanding to be given some sliver of information, Kevin could feel them pushing against him, trapping him so that he couldn't get away. Their voices grew louder, rising higher all around him.

"Are the Crystal Gems doing anything?" A man spoke, his arms around the red haired woman from before, Martha was her name.

"I can't say." Doug replied, adjusting his glasses nervously. "I'm sorry, Dante. I'm telling all of you, this is all I know!"

"Where's Mayor Dewey?" Another voice called.

"Why isn't he helping to look for everyone?"

"Doesn't he care?"

"He's holed up in his house, he won't come down to face us!"

The frustration in the town started to surge into Kevin, his anger starting to return as his grip on Jamie's mailbag tightened.

The mayor wasn't even helping? While Kevin had spent all day searching for any sign of Jamie, he'd locked himself away like a coward because he didn't want to deal with how the town was reacting? He was the damn mayor, that was his job!

"I can't speak for Dewey, but I'm sure he's just as worried as all of us are." Doug tried to insist, clearly wanting to keep the crowd's anger from getting out of hand.

"My left foot he is!" Kevin knew who spoke without even looking - it was Barbara. There was no mistaking her booming voice. "If he cared, he'd be down here with us!"

When she stopped her yelling, Barbara glanced over, finally noticing Kevin had returned and making her way over there as the crowd continued to keep close together.

"Heya kid- ah, Kevin. You find anything?"

Kevin hesitated for a moment before showing her the mailbag and hat. What was he supposed to say? Words weren't needed to convey what was obvious, and if she needed him to spell it out for her, too bad because he wasn't going to make himself do that.

The dejected look on her face was evidence enough he needed to see she understood and she sighed heavily.

"Oh Jamie..."

The moment she reached for the items, Kevin pulled back, holding them closer to his chest possessively and eyeing her, daring her to try and take them. He wasn't sure what made him do it, but he didn't like the idea of just handing them over. Barbara looked a bit startled by the reaction at first before her expression softened. She didn't quite reach for them this time, instead holding out her hand. The young man's reluctance was still clear, but he shoved them towards her anyways. There wasn't much he could do now with them, was there? Though he did hold onto Jamie's phone, looking at the picture of them again before slipping it into his jacket pocket.

When he found Jamie, he'd make sure to give it back. And he would find him, even if he had to tear the town apart. For now, it was a piece of him to hold onto.

Barbara put Jamie's mailbag and its letters, along with his hat, in her own empty bag. No sooner had she done that did a new voice, frantic and yelling, ring out, quieting the crowd. An older woman ran to Doug, her eyes wild and her hands shaking as he took them in his own.

"Priyanka?" He asked, trying his best to calm the woman down. "Slow down, what's wrong?"

"Connie! It's Connie!"

Kevin moved away from Barbara, glancing the woman's horrified expression between the people in front of him. Whispers began, and he heard a gasp from the red headed woman from before.

"What about Connie?" The guard asked, but by the look on his face, he seemed to have an idea of what his wife was going to tell him.

"They've taken her! They've taken our girl." Her voice had grown quiet, but the silence that had settled over the crowd made her words loud and clear. Doug's own shocked expression reflected in the citizens gathered, and the woman from before who'd asked about Onion, Vidalia, stepped forward, along with Martha and even Barbara to comfort the grieving mother, who accepted the sympathy without a fight.

"I don't, I don't understand, how did this happen?" Doug asked, pushing up his glasses as he held his head in disbelief, the shock still clear in his eyes.

"Greg, he called me." She spoke. "He said Steven and Connie were in the woods, looking for Onion. These two Gems, they attacked them. And they took Connie!"

She had her hands folded over her heart as she looked to the other mothers, and towards the group of people hanging off her every word.

"The people being taken, it's not at random. These Gems, from what Steven told Greg, they're working off some sort of list. They only took Connie when they heard her name. They were looking for her. They weren't interested in Steven. The people they're after, it's for a reason."

Upon Priyanka's explanation, an uproar began. Panic rose from the citizens as the information was processed, and then the questioning began.

If Gems were taking people, why? What did they want with them? Why only certain people, who else was in danger? Where were their loved ones, were they going to be hurt, were they going to be taken somewhere else? Were the Crystal Gems doing anything?

Questions, questions, questions, but no answers.

Kevin couldn't stand it. Everyone yelling at once, a chorus of worry and fear. As if he wasn't tense enough, now he had to deal with this. He couldn't handle it, not when he was barely keeping it together. All everyone else was doing was making it worse. He didn't care about their problems, or anyone else for that matter. He just wanted to find Jamie, but he couldn't concentrate, couldn't focus, couldn't think, couldn't breathe. He needed to keep his head clear, but instead he had a dozen voices around him, like a deafening roar he couldn't block out, no matter how hard he tried. Even when he covered his ears and squeezed his eyes shut, he could hear them. They wouldn't shut up, why couldn't they shut up for two seconds?

He just wanted them to stop. He wanted everything to stop. He wanted his head to stop pounding, and for his breathing to even out, and for his heart rate to slow down, and for his hands to stop shaking as he tugged at his hair. _Just make it stop_.

He wanted to scream.

Doug said something to Priyanka that was too quiet to hear as he rubbed her arms soothingly, trying not to let his own fear show.

"What did the Gems look like?" Kevin felt his temper flare at the voice - Ronaldo, being as obnoxious as ever. Even the Pizza girl he recognized from some of his drag races seemed to mutter something to him, as well as the mayor's son, to which he saw the blogger shrug at and whisper something back.

"One was small, and blue." The woman spoke, trying to hold her hands still as she did. "The other... Doug, he said that everyone who's gone missing was stuck inside them!"

A collective surge of horrified reactions roared around Kevin, and the grip on his scarf only tightened as he stared at the woman. What did she mean _stuck inside them?_

"It's one of those fusions." Priyanka spoke, looking to the mothers beside her before addressing the crowd. She knew how to handle herself in a tense situation, and was slowly getting her bearings back. She needed to stay calm, for her daughter. Continuing to panic would get her nowhere.

"They form around the person, and it keeps them from moving." She explained, her tone becoming more serious. "They have everyone. All our children, and the mailman."

 _He had a name._

Doug seemed at a loss for words as his wife looked at him, everyone was. Without the mayor down there, he seemed to be who everyone was looking to for guidance of some kind.

"O-okay, um, we should, we should get everyone home, indoors. That way no one else is at risk of being taken -"

"If you think I'm going to just go home and wait around for my son to be taken away, you are sadly mistaken." Vidalia told Doug, stepping forward.

"I know you want to find Onion," Doug started nervously, flinching under the woman's dark glare, "but we have to take our safety into consideration!"

"I don't give a damn about my safety!" She told him. "If those Gems think they can keep my son from me, I'd love to see them try. And I would _love_ to see _you_ try to stop me."

Doug held up his hands defensively, looking to his wife for help.

"They must be abducting humans for their zoo!" Ronaldo's voice cut through, a dozen heads turning towards him, including Kevin, who bristled at just the sound of his voice. Behind Ronaldo, his father groaned, holding his head.

"Human zoo?!" Martha gasped, her husband's hands clasping on her arms while she looked at him fearfully. "Do they have one of those?"

"Ronaldo, now is not the time!" Fryman told him, his other son shooting his older brother a dirty look.

"You need to zip it." Jenny told him, while Dante tried to calm his still fretting wife.

"We have to try and find him! We have to try and find Lars!" She began to repeat, only further distressing Doug, who tried desperately to change her mind.

"We can't put ourselves in danger, we don't know who else these Gems are targeting." Doug tried to explain before Priyanka placed a hand on her husband's shoulder.

"I know you're trying to help," She spoke firmly, her eyes determined while Doug looked frazzled, "and I know you're trying to keep everyone safe. But I am going to look for our daughter."

The security guard faltered, looking between his wife and the other mothers that stood behind her for support, and then at last out to the crowd before sighing in defeat.

Hell hath no fury like a worried mother.

"Alright, but this is out of my jurisdiction! If everyone wants to help find these Gems, we should keep together. No splitting up, the last thing we need is for more people to be taken." Doug explained, and there was a murmur of agreement from the crowd. He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose under his glasses. He didn't know what the town expected to be able to do if they even found the Gems, but there was no deterring them now. And with his own daughter's well being at stake, he understood exactly how they felt.

The group moved as one unit, one body, on a mission to find and stop the Gems who had taken their loved ones. And for the first time since he'd lived there, Kevin felt every bit a part of Beach City.

(-)

They'd had no luck so far.

The group didn't stay as tightly packed as it had when it had gathered around the Maheswarans, spreading out as people called out names, but it didn't help Kevin feel any less cramped.

He was tense, and his nerves were shot. Whenever someone tried to speak with them, he had to keep himself from exploding. He didn't want anyone to talk to him, or touch him. He wanted to be left alone.

This still didn't feel real - it felt like a bad dream, but he couldn't wake up from it, no matter how badly he wished that he could. By the time Doug called out to ask if anyone had spotted anything, the sun had nearly set, casting the sky in an array of deep oranges and dark purples.

He saw the Pizza girl from the drag races, who'd fought with her father about staying out to help, and the mayor's son sticking close to the DJ, while the mothers kept close together. Fryman decided he didn't want to risk his younger son's safety, despite his pleading to help, and had taken him home promptly, though his convincing didn't work on Ronaldo, who stayed with the group.

Kevin kept as far away from everyone as possible while still technically remaining as part of the search party, his hood pulled up over his head while he kept his eyes towards the ground.

The air was thick as the remaining group moved throughout the town, now venturing closer to the Funland Park. The owner swore he saw the Crystal Gems heading that way while people called out the names of those who'd been taken.

It proved to be a good call, as no sooner had they passed the great sign when they came face to face with the Crystal Gems, who came rushing away from the rides, barely managing to not crash into the party of people.

"Pearl!" Priyanka's sudden exclamation snapped Kevin out of the downward spiral his thoughts had become, lifting his head. He recognized the tallest one - the fusion, the one Jamie used to like.

"Please, tell me you've found something."

"I'm afraid not." The pale Gem responded to her, looking past the woman and towards the crowd. Kevin had never seen her before, or the shorter purple one. "Connie sent a picture from her phone that showed this place. We're trying to - "

A ringtone began to play, making the Gems turn back towards the direction they'd come, while Priyanka gasped, covering her mouth. That was her daughter's phone.

"Stay here, it's dangerous." Garnet told them firmly, and before anyone else could respond, the Gems had taken off towards the source of the ringing.

"That was Connie's phone, she's here!" Priyanka began to exclaim, looking at her husband, hope in her eyes. "We have to get to her, Doug."

"Garnet said to stay here." He told her, fully aware of the crowd beginning to grow restless. Kevin's own adrenaline began to pump again, staring in the direction he'd seen the strange women take off in. If the Gems abducting people were here, then that meant -

 ** _"HELP!"_**

Kevin's heart jumped as his he felt his breath catch in his throat, a shot of ice feeling like it had been injected into his veins.

 _That was Jamie's voice._

Doug didn't stand a chance when Kevin sprinted past him, barely having enough time to even react to try and grab him, and after he'd ran forward, everyone else followed suit.

Kevin nearly crashed into one of the rides, his hood falling off as he straightened himself, lifting his head after he'd collected his thoughts. He was aware of everyone else behind him, and he knew the Gems were speaking, but his own heartbeat seemed to drown them out as he stared.

Some giant yellow... _thing_ stepped out of hiding, absolutely towering over the Crystal Gems, her form wide and massive. Sticking out of her at odd angles were an assortment of limbs, looking every bit a horrific monster.

And amongst the mismatched body parts and heads was Jamie.

(-)

The mailman thought his head was going to explode.

His skull pounded and his face burned intensely hot from the blood that had ran to it as he hung forward. At least his mouth was free, and one arm. He was the only one with a voice right now, and they were depending on him to try and get someone's attention. He couldn't do much, but he could scream.

Which he did, crying out for help at the top of his lungs the moment he sensed people were nearby. Never before had Jamie felt so relieved to see Steven and the Gems in all his life!

"Steven!" Connie's plan had worked, he'd found them! But what if these Gems hurt him?! "Save yourself! After you save us!"

He couldn't decide if he was being selfish or grateful, but the splitting headache he had made it impossible to even think straight, and he still felt like he would be sick at any moment, especially when the yellow Gem began to move forward. As she did, people came into view, far behind the Gems, watching the scene unfold. It was hard to make out everyone while he hung upside down, but he could recognize a few. And amongst those worried faces, Jamie felt his heart clench in agony at one particularly terrified expression.

 _Kevin._

He was there! What was he doing, he could get hurt!

The shock at seeing Kevin made Jamie miss the next part of the confrontation, but the chirpy voice of the blue Gem cut back into his thoughts like a knife. He'd really come to absolutely detest her voice - so cute, and sweet, and entirely laced with evil intentions. And her _laugh._

"The list did come from a 'Steven', after all."

The group around Kevin drowned out whatever the tiny pixie of a Gem was saying, cries of shock and alarm ringing in his ears. Doug had moved to the front, trying his best to keep everyone back. Despite the commotion, Kevin did manage to make out some of what the smaller Gem was saying.

"Let's see. Yellow Diamond asked for a 'My Dad', a 'Connie', a 'Lars', a 'Sadie', a 'Mailman' and an 'Onion I Think'."

"You need to stay back!" Doug insisted, ushering the group away while Kevin's eyes remained glued to Jamie's expression while the mailman looked at the smaller Gem. Had he seen him? For a moment he thought their eyes had met. Whatever had been said next by the blue Gem was lost to Kevin, but judging by how Jamie responded, it wasn't good.

Jamie felt woozy, that sickening feeling in him only rising when he watched Steven's expression shift from shock, to realization, to a crushing, heart wrenching guilt.

This list the Gems had been following, Steven had given it to them... Without even realizing what he'd done, he was why his friends had been taken.

"This is all my fault..."

No, no it wasn't his fault! He didn't know, how could he have known? Jamie couldn't hold any semblance of a grudge against him, and the look on his face hurt the mailman deeply. Steven must have felt like his world was crashing around him.

Garnet didn't let him dwell, rallying Steven and springing into action to fight. She lunged forward, fast as lightening, her punch aimed _directly at his face!_

"NO, Garnet!" With his free arm, Jamie tried to protect himself, fear shooting through him while his heart leapt into his throat. "I've moved on, I swear!"

Why that of all things came to mind to say, he'd ask himself later.

He squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the impact, but it never came, and when he opened his eyes, it was just in time to see the Gem be hoisted into the air and thrown, only yards from the group as she crashed into a building, making the citizens stumble back in alarm.

"Okay, farther back! Farther back!" Doug told everyone, or more correctly, pleaded. It was hard enough keeping the group from rushing forward to try and rescue their loved ones, let alone keeping them out of danger.

Kevin's hoodie was pulled and he stumbled back into the crowd, having been frozen to the spot as he watched Jamie nearly be attacked by Garnet. He was shaking again, badly this time.

Pearl's attempt didn't go any smoother, instead being hurled into the air by the blue Gem's wand when she tried a more tactical approach to fighting the Topaz fusion. And Amethyst's strategy to just pull the humans free from the fused Gem proved fruitless.

Only moments passed before all the Crystal Gems were back in formation, Garnet having emerged from the building unscathed and Pearl landing gracefully back on the ground.

Aquamarine, while finding the pathetic attempts at rescue by the group of defects to be quite amusing, found her tolerance had run out, and she was fed up with their little game. She'd grown impatient - she had a mission to keep to, after all, and these dullards had wasted enough of her time. She didn't care how she accomplished her mission. Even if one of the human variations needed to _die_ for it.

"This is getting annoying!" Kevin felt himself seethe at the tone of her voice, so sugar sweet, but that anger fell instantly at her following words.

"Hey, Topaz! Can you remind me? I mean, my memory is perfect... But, our orders were to bring back these six humans. I'm just not sure..."

 _"Did they specify..._ _ **alive**_ _?"_

In the heartbeat it took for what she'd said to hit Jamie, and Aquamarine's proclamation of, 'you know, I don't think they did!', he felt a massive hand close around his head, gasping at the unexpected crushing pressure.

 _"Uh... St-Steven..."_

Something in Kevin shattered.

It was the sight of Jamie's terrified face, his head held so easily in the Gem's hand, that made what little calm and collected resolve he'd had left crumble and fall apart as he tugged at his scarf, his heart stopping as his blood ran ice cold. Everything sounded far away; he couldn't make out what the kid responded with, or the blue Gem. The world around him began to swim and shimmer as his vision blurred and his eyes stung.

When had he started crying?

Everything happened so fast, and before Kevin realized what was happening, the yellow Gem split apart. For one brief moment, he thought they'd come to some kind of agreement, but that hope sank when it only reformed into one again. He could hear sobbing behind him, and no one dared to move an inch. Lest the yellow Gem kill Jamie...

The dome off of one of the attractions rose up into the air - it wasn't part of the ride at all, it was the ship, hiding in plain sight. Panic shot through Kevin when the Topaz leapt into the air, taking the humans - taking _Jamie_ with her.

"No!"

Had he said that out loud? He didn't care, feeling his blood boil as the little blue bitch flew up after them, and the ship sealed shut.

"He did have a plan, right?" The purple Gem was the first to break the silence, and it was as though she'd opened a flood gate, and all at once, everyone surged forward, filing past Kevin to surround the Gems, begging and pleading them to do something, anything.

He couldn't move.

Words couldn't describe the devastation that had overwhelmed him, crushing him to his core. His hands trembled and his fingers ached from how tightly he'd been clutching his scarf. It felt like it was suffocating him now, he wanted to tear it apart.

But he couldn't bring himself to do anything besides stand there, frozen.

Jamie had almost died.

He wasn't okay.

No, no he couldn't do this, he couldn't seize up again. Breathe, close your eyes and breathe. He wasn't going to fall apart.

He lifted his head up to the sky. The ship hadn't left yet - if things were going fine, they would have already gone. Something had to be happening to cause the delay.

God, he just wished he could just see what was happening. It was driving him crazy not to know.

Kevin was so used to things going his way and getting exactly what he wanted. With control being taken out of his hands, and being forced to watch helplessly from the sidelines, he felt dumb and useless. There wasn't a goddamn thing he could do, and it was the worst feeling in the world.

But the Crystal Gems...

"This has gone on long enough, they're not coming down. You have to do something!" It was Priyanka's voice rising out above the sea of demands, her stern and domineering tone impossible to mistake.

The Gems looked at one another before nodding. They knew what they needed to do.

Kevin had only ever seen a fusion fall apart, he had no idea how they actually happened. But he witnessed it now, observing as the two smaller Gems danced, spinning into Garnet's open arms.

Dancing was how they fused...?

A brilliant light began to form, glowing brighter and larger by the second, forcing the citizens to back away. Kevin had to crane his neck just to catch a glimpse of the new form.

It was... _tall._

And kind of creepy looking.

The ground trembled when it stepped out over them, into the ocean. A second mouth opened, fangs glistening in the light of the setting sun before it closed again, one of its many arms shooting forward to grab at the ship.

An intense relief flooded Kevin, so strong he felt light headed, when he saw the ship door open, and standing there, amongst the others, was Jamie. Even from a distance, he could see the fear in his face, but he was out of that yellow fusion, and he wasn't dead, so it was much better than it could have been. It was impossible to hear anything that was being said on the ship, it was too far away, but Jamie's expression changed from apprehensive to downright terrified again.

Someone jumped down, the weird kid, and a yell from behind Kevin nearly gave him a stroke. His heart couldn't handle much more of this.

"That's my boy! You go, Onion!" Vidalia was grinning, Yellowtail and Sour Cream sharing in her enthusiasm. Hope began to surge through the group, like a domino effect.

They were escaping!

No one else moved from the ship for a moment, but the kid seemed to take the initiative for them and _did he just throw Jamie?!_

Kevin could get mad about that later, for now everyone was -

Frozen.

Their mid-air freefall had been cut short as a paralyzing blue light encompassed the group and the large fusion once more, and fear gripped Kevin once again.

 _No, no, no._

Not when they were so close!

A blue dot appeared and Kevin didn't even try and bite back the growl that rose in his throat.

That pixie Gem! She was doing this!

Like wildfire, anger and disbelief began to spread through the citizens. These Gems didn't know when to quit.

The seconds stretched on painfully long, with nothing changing, and no sign that the humans would be released.

No one knew what was said, but only a few breaths later, everyone came crashing down into the water, and the large fusion split apart.

They were free.

There was incomprehensible shouting, nothing that could be made out, but in a flash, the ship was gone, and the silence that followed the scream of the little girl was deafening.

No one moved for the longest time, with the reality of the situation having not set in yet.

It was a slow process, the swim back to shore, and not a word was spoken for any of it. The citizens had gathered on the beach, watching the Gems and the kidnapped humans tread water as people began to move towards them.

Connie's parents had been the first to run forward, falling into the water to embrace their daughter. Vidalia's family followed after as she scooped up her son, the group hug the family shared sinking to the sand while they began to laugh, and Barbara was only steps behind them, calling out 'my baby girl' while she crushed Sadie in a bear hug, which for once, the young woman didn't mind.

Jamie's legs shook as he finally felt solid ground underneath his feet, and his knees buckled under him once. But he got back up, forcing himself to keep walking until he reached the shore, holding a hand to his head as he brushed his dripping bangs from his face. When he found the strength to look up, he noticed Kevin, pushing his way past people harshly until he stopped short when their eyes met, his own wide and disbelieving.

He'd been crying.

The sight of Kevin made Jamie's throat tighten, and he felt a heat begin to rise in his face as he started laughing quietly. If he didn't laugh, he'd cry, and they didn't both need to be doing that, or it would be a total mess.

He couldn't will himself to move any farther, so Kevin was the one to close the distance, rushing forward and throwing his arms around the other man, nearly making Jamie fall backwards into the water. But he braced himself, arms encircling Kevin as tightly as he could, as though he never planned to let him go. The wetness of his clothes began to seep into Kevin's, but the other man barely noticed.

It took all of Jamie's energy not to break down sobbing then, burying his face in Kevin's shoulder as the gravity of what he'd just gone through - what had nearly happened to him - finally settled.

He could still feel that Gem's hand clasped around his head.

Jamie didn't know how long they stood like that, as time seemed to have lost meaning in that moment, but he did feel his heart yearning for it not to stop when Kevin did finally pull away. He was shaking; from the cold, the still present adrenaline, or the lingering fear, he wasn't sure.

There were a thousand things he wanted to say, but when he finally found his voice, he faltered.

"Kevin, are you - "

Jamie's question was muffled when the other young man crushed their mouths together, desperate and frantic, conveying what Kevin didn't try and bother finding the words to say. He'd never been good with words, so he let his actions speak for him.

It came as a surprise to Jamie, but that surprise soon eased into contentment as he closed his eyes, leaning into Kevin's touch as he held his face, his own arms circling his waist while his heart soared.

And for one perfect moment, it was like nothing had happened.

It ended all too soon, and they shared a shuddering breath when Kevin convinced himself to part from him.

"I missed you."

And now he was crying.

Jamie laughed slightly, trying to brush the tears away while Kevin smiled, watching him.

"I missed you, too."

He wasn't okay, not yet. He knew he was going to deal with the effects from today for weeks to come, but he took solace in the fact that he was alive, and he was here. With Kevin. This was as ideal a moment he could ask for.

And Steven... They'd get him. Somehow, the Gems would find a way, he was confident in that. But everyone else was okay, they were with their families, and they were safe. Everyone was -

"Where's Lars?"

What little happiness Jamie had seized in this moment fell apart when he heard those words, looking towards the shore.

Martha was there, scanning the beach for any sign of her son, with Dante right beside her. Her tone was frantic as she called out for him, and Jamie came to the slow, sickening realization that he hadn't recalled Lars jumping.

He was still on the ship.

"Where is he?!" The more she asked, the more hoarse her voice grew, and the dejected mother sank to her knees, burying her face in her hands while Dante knelt beside her.

"Where's my baby..."

The façade of tranquility over the citizens was destroyed in an instant.

"Lars... Did he not...," Sadie's voice trailed off before she gasped, looking to the now empty sky.

"He's still up there!" Connie said, stepping away from her parents to look at the Gems.

They looked broken.

"We have to go after them!" She said, the fire returning to her eyes. Kevin recognized her after a moment - the girl who made up Stevonnie. "Garnet, can you see where they're headed?"

Garnet had a hand pressed to her glasses before her form began to shake and light erupted from her, splitting apart into two smaller forms that fell to the ground, just like Stevonnie had.

"I - I don't know." The blue one spoke, turning away while the red one lifted herself to her feet, reaching for her tenderly. "This wasn't supposed to happen, I didn't see any of this!"

She embraced the red figure that hugged her tightly, while Amethyst and Pearl looked at them, utterly defeated. What were they going to tell Greg...

Everything was turning wrong again.

Too much, all of this was too much. Jamie felt himself growing faint, knees trembling as he stumbled into Kevin unexpectedly. He was helped into a sitting position, but beyond that, Kevin had no idea what to do. He wasn't exactly an expert on comforting people, so he could only look at the other man helplessly.

He'd been looking for Jamie all day, and now that he was finally with him, he didn't know how to help him.

"Maybe I should-"

When Kevin began to stand, Jamie grabbed onto his arm, nearly pulling him into the water when he dragged Kevin down next him, eyes wide and fearful as he looked at him in desperation. Jamie had never looked at him like that before.

"Wait! Don't go, I don't-," Jamie closed his eyes before burying his face in Kevin's chest, his heart heavy.

"I don't think I can be alone right now."


	5. Breathe Easy

The walk back to Jamie's apartment had been in silence. It was uncomfortable, only worsening how awkward Kevin felt. He couldn't think of anything to break the tension, and it was maddening. Over the course of the past few weeks, the pair of them had gotten so used to talking with each other, a far cry from Jamie's initial stuttering when around him. And while Kevin missed being able to fluster him so easily, now that Jamie had grown used to his flirtations, he did like having someone he could just converse with so casually. He didn't have to think of what to say when he was with him, the talking came naturally.

But he wasn't used to this kind of situation. Where someone was hurting so deeply, enough that it seemed to change who they were, turning Jamie into a stranger of sorts. His smile and the brightness about him, his optimism and excitement bubbling with every word, the glimmer in his eyes - it was gone, faded. All the things that drew Kevin in were missing now, and he didn't have the slightest clue what to say. His words never failed him, he had a silver tongue. But it felt like lead as he waited for Jamie to open his apartment.

Everything had seemed calm, and as though it would work out in the end, at least in that moment when they embraced on the beach. But reality was swift, and harsh, and cruel, and it had been hanging over them, taunting, before crushing that peace of mind and stealing away that serenity when everyone realized Lars wasn't with them. And that fact, along with everything else Jamie had endured that day, weighed heavy on the mailman's mind. It was almost a physical weight, with how his head hung and his shoulders slouched.

This wasn't Jamie.

Not the Jamie that Kevin knew.

When Kevin stepped past him into the apartment, Jamie leaned on the door to close it, his forehead resting against it. His still wet clothes clung to him, and rivulets of water fell from his dripping hair onto the wood, racing down the grain.

The thing that did finally break the deafening silence wasn't what Kevin figured it would be - laughter.

It was quiet, and forced, but it quickly grew louder, crazed, even. Nothing like the giggling Kevin knew Jamie to be prone to now, and it was unnerving.

"Jamie?" At least Kevin was making an attempt to say something now. "What are you - "

"And you said nothing exciting ever happens here!" Jamie said, continuing to laugh as he pressed a hand to his head, eyes squeezed shut. "You said this town was boring!"

Kevin winced internally. Now was not a good time to bring up what he'd said at the festival.

"Are you feeling okay?" He asked. That was a stupid question, of course he wasn't feeling okay. But Kevin had no idea what to make out of the manic laughter.

"Oh yeah, I'm great! Just if I don't laugh I'll probably cry." Jamie admitted, with the laughter turning into a more nervous chuckle as he brushed his bangs away again. He was a mess, he knew he was, and Jamie could tell by the look on Kevin's face that he was seriously worrying him. He needed to get a grip on himself.

Jamie closed his eyes, trying to do his breathing trick again. Deep breath, hold for a few seconds, release slowly, repeat. But even after the fifth time, his nerves didn't seem any more mellowed out, making the young actor sigh in defeat when he opened his eyes, his heart aching at the hopeless stare of Kevin.

"Usually that works." Jamie laughed weakly, rubbing his arm when he looked at him before blinking and stepping forward.

"Your jacket, it's damp. I should, I could hang that up." He offered, feeling a touch of embarrassment. Kevin had offered it to him when they'd decided to finally leave the beach, which they'd stayed at until it grew dark, but Jamie had refused.

No one had moved for the longest time, except for the Crystal Gems, who left quickly to tell Greg what had happened and to start devising a way to save Steven. It was like everyone had been frozen, and it was only when Barbara and Sadie offered to help Martha and Dante home that people finally began to shift and stir. At least it had broken Jamie out of his thoughts.

Kevin took a moment to realize what Jamie had asked. When they'd embraced, the wetness from Jamie's clothes had seeped into his own, but he had barely noticed until the chill of the night air had hit them. Now there was a noticeable shiver running through him, but how could that even be on Jamie's mind? He was worse off than he was.

Still, the young man didn't object to Jamie's offer and gave him his jacket when he asked for it, watching him hang it on a coat rack.

"You can just, uh, sit." Jamie suggested, letting his eyes meet Kevin's again. He was still tense, but at least he was talking again. "I should go get changed."

He wanted to joke that he'd never worn his uniform this late before, but he couldn't muster the energy to make it, somberly slinking off to his room instead, trying to avoid Kevin's worrisome eyes.

Once the door was shut, Jamie sank to the floor, his back sliding down the against the wood while he held his head in his hands, letting the water from his clothes soak into his carpet. He was still processing everything that had transpired that day, and it didn't seem real. The morning had started off so wonderfully, and the day had been beautiful. He couldn't recall any time recently he'd felt as amazing as he had that morning, like there was a song in him that he couldn't wait to sing to the world.

It all went dreadful the moment that blue Gem, Aquamarine, showed up. Then the dream of a day had turned into a living nightmare.

Jamie groaned into his hands, pressing them together to rest his forehead against them as he tried to take another steadying breath. He needed to get out of these clothes, first and foremost.

He forced himself to his feet, somewhat unsteadily - he'd spent almost the entire day trapped in a fusion, his legs were still a little less than reliable. After he'd stripped off the soaking clothes and tossed them into a corner, promising to take care of the mess later, he rummaged through his dresser for something warm, loose and comfortable. What he settled on was a mint green hoodie about one size too big for him and a grey pair of sweatpants. Not exactly the most flattering outfit, but he wasn't going for aesthetic here.

He paused in front of his bedroom door, catching sight of himself in his full length mirror. He liked to practice in front of it before a performance; expressions, script reading, gestures. He'd spent an embarrassing amount of time in front of it. Right now though, the man it showed looked tired, with eyes still rimmed with red from when he'd been crying earlier.

Was this how he looked to Kevin?

 _Kevin._

When he saw him on the beach, eyes wild and expression a mix of shock, relief and something else Jamie couldn't quite place, Jamie had felt his heart pang. It was a familiar feeling, but so much more real now - Jamie had no doubt about it.

He'd fallen for him, hard.

He was head over heels crazy for him; he wasn't even going to try and deny that now. Any hopes he'd had of taking this whatever they had going on slow and simple had been ruined the moment Kevin had ran and hugged him, and those feelings had been sealed with his kiss. When everything that had happened had been clouding his mind, Kevin's presence had given him clarity, however briefly.

He wouldn't have felt that kind of relief, that hope and that heart ache when he saw him on the beach unless this was something more than what he'd been too afraid to let himself believe.

Jamie wanted to believe Kevin felt the same way, God, did he want that. He wanted to believe it with all of his hopeless romantic heart. Why else would he have been there with the rest of the town, looking on as the Crystal Gems had tried to rescue them from the two Homeworld Gems, so close that he could have been hurt, or waiting on the beach for him when they finally reached shore? Jamie's heart ached with how much he wanted to believe Kevin felt the same for him, but...

He knew Kevin didn't feel the same. Even touching on the topic of them being a couple made Kevin go into that weird state of his, and Jamie didn't want to ruin what they already had, whatever it was. He knew it would be torture to himself to not make his feelings known, but with the gravity of what had happened today still fresh in his mind, he wasn't willing to take the risk of ruining this yet.

He didn't want to lose him, not right now. Not when being alone was the last thing he needed. When everything settled down, and when the town began to heal, he promised, he'd take that step.

But for now, Jamie put on a brave face, his reflection smiling back at him sadly before he headed back out of his room.

Kevin was well acquainted with Jamie's apartment now; he'd been over enough times, he should think he was. He had picked up on little aspects of Jamie just from seeing how he lived - he was very neat and well organized, and he liked everything feeling cozy. The couch was well worn from many a night spent lounging on it, and posters for movies that Kevin didn't recognize adorned the pale walls. And of course the shelves were full of his extensive movie collections, books and the odd knickknack here and there, many being movie memorabilia.

It was familiar to Kevin, and even if the place was far too small for his own liking, he'd come to appreciate it, and how much 'his own' Jamie had made it, with his flare all over the place. Which is why he recognized something odd as soon as he was left alone and asked Jamie when he returned.

"Hey, what happened to your lamp?"

Jamie stopped short at Kevin's question, still too preoccupied with his own thoughts to let it fully dawn on him. When he followed Kevin's hand as he gestured to the shoddily glued back together piece of furniture, the other man was surprised to see a dust of pink in his cheeks. A pleasant surprise.

"The lamp? Oh! That lamp! Right, I, I just, uh, it, it... broke." Kevin raised an eyebrow at him, feeling his mouth quirk into a half smile. He could tell by the way he spoke there was more to it than that, and he really had missed seeing this side of Jamie.

"It just broke?" Kevin asked, leaning his weight on his hand as he rested it on the couch, watching the subtle shade in Jamie's face turn darker.

"Lamps do that..." Jamie muttered to himself, starting to twist and wring at his sleeves. Another one of his habits Kevin had grown fond of.

"I'm going to make a glass of water." He spoke suddenly, brushing past Kevin into his tiny kitchen. He needed a distraction from the heartwarming (and knowing) smile the other man was giving him.

He ran the cup under the faucet, watching it fill quietly. Kevin didn't need to know how the lamp had been broken. He didn't need to know how he'd been twirling around his apartment the night before like a starry eyed idiot and had knocked the damn thing over and just kind of stuck it back together that morning. Back when he was still giddy and weightless, before everything had taken a turn for the worst, and he'd been taken...

His hands were shaking again.

Jamie blinked as his daze lifted and he saw the cup had flooded over, which he quickly moved away, shutting the faucet off with a bit more force than he'd intended. All he'd done was get Kevin's attention back on him.

"Jamie?" The young actor almost flinched at hearing his name, his hands gripping onto the counter in hopes of stopping their trembling.

"You alright?" Kevin continued when he didn't get an answer, to which Jamie forced another laugh, trying to sound casual as he responded with a weak smile.

"Yeah, don't worry." He said, clasping his hands together on the counter instead. "I'm fine, I'm fine. I just..."

Kevin watched Jamie's smile fall, and it was like a shadow had fallen over him.

"I'm... I'm..." Jamie sighed, closing his eyes while hunching over to rest his head on his forearms. Kevin was unsure if he should go to him before Jamie leaned back up, the worry in his eyes apparent as he avoided looking at the other man again.

"I'm... not okay."

When Jamie lifted his gaze to Kevin, he saw the panic in his eyes and felt a wave of guilt hit him, and didn't think before he spoke again.

"But I'm better than I would be if you weren't here." At that, Kevin's eyebrows pricked up in surprise.

"Seriously? I'm making you feel better? I'm kind of shit at this... comforting thing."

Jamie felt an actual quiet laugh escape him from seeing the look on his face, giving him a lopsided smile.

"Well, I appreciate the effort." He told Kevin, walking over to the couch and sitting cross-legged, watching as the other man sat beside him. Having Kevin there with him did make him feel just a touch more relaxed, even if his nerves were still wired.

"Uh... This might be me being bad at the whole comforting thing again," Kevin started, slowly, watching Jamie as he observed him quietly, "but would... talking about it help? What happened, I mean."

Jamie remained quiet for a moment. Talking about it would probably help; keeping all this bottled up inside him couldn't be good for him. And Kevin was willing to listen.

"You mean how I was... taken?" Jamie ventured, tracing his finger around the lip of the glass. He didn't have to look at Kevin to know he was cringing at what he'd said.

"Yeah... that." The other man muttered, shoulders hunching. "I found your torn up bag on the beach and..."

"You found my bag?" Jamie asked. When Kevin began to answer, his eyes suddenly widened and he hopped up off the couch, retrieving something from his jacket. He sat back down beside him, handing something to Jamie.

His phone?

"Don't be creeped out by how many texts I sent." Kevin warned, making Jamie smile at him. It was sweet, actually. Though he'd have to not dwell on the fact that the other man had seen his phone background, because he didn't need that embarrassment right now.

 _'Are you okay?'_

Jamie felt his heart pang at that last text, letting his eyes flick up to Kevin. He'd really been worried about him...

If there was anyone he would feel comfortable talking to about this, it would be Kevin.

"I think it's cute." Jamie told him, taking a deep breath before beginning his explanation.

Everything had started out fine as Jamie began his route, and he still had that spring to his step from the night before. There'd been no one around, everything had been peaceful, with waves lapping against the sand as he walked, and then -

"Are you my dad?"

Jamie paused mid step, turning around in surprise. He saw nothing but the expanse of beach behind him, the city to the right and the woods in the far distance. He didn't see anyone. But then who...?

"Oh!" When he glanced down, he flinched in alarm. There was someone there! She looked so small, he almost hadn't seen her. It was like she'd appeared from nowhere, he hadn't even heard her approach.

She was short, with large eyes and blue... everything. It took only a moment to realize what she was when he looked at her face - a Gem. He'd never seen her before, but she reminded him a bit of Lapis Lazuli.

After recovering from the surprise, he smiled brightly down at her, kneeling so that he could be on her level, with one arm resting on his bent knee.

"Hello there! I'm sorry, I didn't see you. What did you say?"

"Are you my dad?" She asked again. Her voice was quiet, with a slight accent to it. She was the tiniest Gem he'd ever seen, she was even shorter than Amethyst. "I'm trying to find my dad."

He... he wasn't aware Gems even had parents, aside from Steven. But he was a special case.

"I... no. I'm not. Sorry." He replied, unsure what to say. "If you're having trouble looking for them, I can try and help. What does he look like?"

"I don't know! Why would I know?"

 _Okay._

Jamie was at a loss for how to respond, opening his mouth before closing it again, dumbfounded.

"Alright, well, um... When did you last see them?" Jamie asked, watching the curious new Gem. He didn't know what else to ask. How did she not know what her dad looked like? She didn't behave like she was blind; she was looking right at him, and on top of that, the look in her eyes wasn't at all appreciative.

"I haven't seen my dad. If I had, why would I need to find them?" She asked, very clearly agitated. "Are all you humans this dull?"

Okay, first, _feelings._

"I guess you have a point... Maybe I should take you to Doug." Jamie said nervously, rubbing the back of his neck as he leaned back on the heels of his feet. He was getting nowhere with this Gem. He wanted to help, really, but it felt like she was fighting him. He had no idea what to do.

"I'm not looking for a Doug!" She shouted, making Jamie nearly lose his balance as he jumped up in alarm, her voice snapping him out of his thoughts. "I'm looking for my dad!"

"I-I know! But Doug can help you find your dad!" Jamie tried reassuring, offering as convincing a smile as he could. She seemed kind of childlike. He remembered Steven telling him how Peridot first behaved when she initially joined him at the temple. Maybe this new Gem just didn't understand how humans talked yet.

Whatever her problem was, Jamie seemed to get on her last nerve, and she blew up.

 _"NO!"_ She shouted, the yell making Jamie nearly drop his delivery as he stared at her, feeling a jolt of fear at her unexpected aggression.

"I'm not looking for _your_ dad! I'm looking _my_ dad! MY dad! _MY_! Why does _everyone_ keep saying that?! Why are you too stupid to understand?! You humans are worthless and you're no help at all!"

Jamie could only stare at her in shock, clutching the package to his chest. He hadn't expected her to be so... angry. Furious, even. She wasn't as friendly as she looked, and it was clear now that her temper was explosive. It was almost deceptive.

Unexpectedly, water wings appeared behind her and she kicked off into the air, hovering over him. Now she definitely reminded him of Lapis.

She had the angriest pout on her face when she huffed, tiny hands forming into fists while she glared down at the confounded mailman.

"If you're not going to help me find my dad or a Connie, I'll just do it myself!"

"Wait, just hold on! I can help you!" He was getting frazzled, panic rising. He didn't see anyone else around, and this seemed to be an emergency. If she'd just calm down! "I can help you find him! Just let me deliver this mail first and-"

Wait, had she just said she was looking for Connie?

He didn't have long to think it over as the small Gem gasped, her eyes lighting up as they widened. Suddenly her entire demeanor changed as she crossed her ankles and held her hands out from her sides, head tilted, almost like a dainty fairy.

"Did you say mail? Are you the mailman?" She asked, an eagerness to her tone as she looked at him expectantly.

"Well, yes, I am." He told her. He didn't see how that mattered, though.

It must have mattered, because suddenly she was grinning before she began to laugh - a little chittering laugh that only added to her pixie like personality. Her water wings flapped loudly while she twirled, her laughter continuing while she circled around him.

Like a shark circling its prey.

"I've found one! I did it! I've found the mailman!"

Her excitement was kind of cute, and Jamie found himself smiling, despite the odd behavior. There was still a gnawing suspicion though, a small sense of unease. Like something was wrong.

"Usually Steven is the only one this happy to see me." He laughed quietly, trying to push down that sense of dread building in him. Why did he feel so nervous all of a sudden?

The blue Gem stopped flying, placing one hand by her mouth while she grinned down at him before calling out.

"Oh Topaz! I've got another one for you!"

His smile fell.

"Topaz?" He asked, one of his hands going to unconsciously wring at his mailbag strap, "is that another one of Steven's Gem-"

The ground shook unexpectedly, making Jamie's heart lurch into his throat while his voice came out small.

"-friends..."

A large, yellow hand appeared out of nowhere, latching onto the large boulder before the form hoisted itself into view, and Jamie felt his blood run cold at the sight.

Some... Some kind of Gem with... everyone was...

Jamie's grip on the package he was holding tightened, almost crushing the cardboard as he stared in horror, the other hand twisting the strap of his mail bag so tightly that his knuckles ached. It had... assimilated humans somehow, into its body, trapping them. _Sadie, Onion!_ And a pair of legs, the voice of their owner crying out when the enormous yellow Gem stepped forward.

"What's going on?! I can't see!"

Lars! _It had Lars too!_

Ronaldo's comment the previous night about Onion having gone missing struck him like lightening, and Jamie almost choked on his sudden gasp. These Gems...

He couldn't bring himself to try and run, only gawk in terror.

"Topaz, you know the drill by now." The smaller Gem said, her shadow falling over Jamie as she flew above him, smiling down at him so sweetly, her giggling taunting him. Like how a cat might tease a mouse that it had caught in its claws.

"Get them."

The yellow Gem, Topaz, began to glow brightly, the one form separating into two as the humans were shifted into the arms of the twin pair. A fusion, it was a fusion!

The twin Gems stared at Jamie, the one with the Gem on the left side of its head standing back, its arms full, while the other moved forward, looming over the petrified mailman. Sadie thrashed about, kicking her legs wildly as she fought to free herself from the Gem, which held her in their arm like she was nothing. When her attempts to escape did nothing, Sadie did her best to warn Jamie away.

"Jamie, _RUN!"_

He couldn't.

Jamie was paralyzed, fear turning him still as stone, his heart hammering against his chest while he grew pale as the Gem reached forward, grabbing his mail bag and trying to yank him forward. Topaz was strong enough that she could lift Jamie into the air with one hand as though he weighed nothing, but the Gem didn't see the need to waste anymore energy on a simple human than necessary. It was an underestimation that wouldn't be made with Connie later.

When Jamie was grabbed, he finally seemed to snap out of his horrified stupor, crying out and pulling back on the strap, fully aware that he was only being dragged forward more.

Something gave, there was a snap, and Jamie went stumbling backwards, nearly losing his balance but managing to stay upright, with only a piece of the mail bag strap left in his hand.

Topaz only glanced at the mailbag in her hand before glaring dangerously at the mailman and tossing it aside, towards the cliff face. Jamie felt his knees close to giving out as he stared back up at her, the strip of cloth falling from his hand to the sand as he kept his arm close to his chest, with Aquamarine flying up above again, huffing in annoyance.

"Topaz! Are you going to do this or do I have to handle this all by myself?"

When the massive yellow Gem reached for Jamie this time, something in him finally gave, and he took one shaky step backwards before finally turning around fully and sprinting as fast as he could towards Steven's house.

If he could just make it there, the Crystal Gems would be able to help! Be able to save everyone! He just needed to run a little bit faster.

He made the mistake of glancing back.

The Gem that was holding Lars and Onion hadn't moved, and Aquamarine was merely flying towards him at a leisurely speed, with no urgency in her movements. Then where was the other -

The answer hit Jamie literally when he looked forward again, a massive yellow arm swinging into view. With no time to react, he ran right into it face first, the impact throwing him onto his back, his hat flying off while stars danced across his blurry vision. His head throbbed with a concussion and he could feel the stinging of tears in his eyes at the pain shooting through his skull. It was white hot, and excruciating. Like he'd been hit with cement.

Jamie didn't get long to recover, breathing in sharply when a large yellow hand grabbed him by the front of his uniform, lifting him into the air, malice in the Gem's eyes. Whatever scream he was going to let out was cut off when the Gem let him fall just enough so that her hand was instead clasped around his throat, the fear alone enough to steal his voice from him. He caught a glimpse of movement just behind him, and suddenly the Topaz was glowing again, and he fell into her frame of light.

He'd closed his eyes when it happened, too afraid to watch. But when they did finally open once more, Jamie became very aware of the fact that he couldn't move. Something was pressing in on him from all sides, crushing, suffocating, impossibly heavy and with no give. His chest felt compressed when he tried to breathe in too deeply, and his lungs burned from the effort, leading Jamie to another horrifying realization - he couldn't open his mouth.

Panic shot through him like a bullet, and the way he began to hyperventilate did nothing for the crushing pressure on his chest. The only parts of him he could move was his hand and his fingers - somehow through the whole ordeal, he'd kept ahold of Steven's package, and it was now stuck with him, too. Inside the fusion.

He couldn't move, could barely breath, and he couldn't scream, though he did try. He could only catch a glimpse of Sadie towards the Gem's shoulder, sympathy in her eyes. Jamie was beyond terrified and it showed.

He was trapped.

Then he heard something - a familiar sound. Jamie felt his heart leap into his throat - the tell-tale rusty creak of the door to Steven's house. And a moment later, voices. Garnet, Pearl - _Steven!_ They'd come outside! They were just on the other side of the rock face, on the beach by the way their voices carried. They were so close, just out of sight!

"Are you sure you don't want to help build a sand castle, Steven?" Pearl's voice, light and friendly, carried over to Jamie, with Steven's response following afterwards.

"No, I'm okay! I'm expecting a package from Jamie soon! He should be here any minute!"

Jamie felt his heart clench at the mention of his name; if he could just make a sound - a cry for help, a scream, _anything_ , he could alert the Crystal Gems to what was happening.

But whatever he tried to do or say only came out muffled; there was no way they would hear him.

The others were trying to call for help too, he could hear it, with Sadie still fighting as best she could and Lars swinging his legs outward. Onion was making some noise, as well, as much as he could.

But every attempt proved futile, and as he heard the blue Gem tell the Topaz fusion to get moving again so they could hurry up and find 'my dad', just quiet enough that Steven wouldn't hear her, Jamie could feel his heart being crushed, and a nauseating pit forming heavily in his stomach.

It was no use.

No use trying to fight or to call to the Gems. Topaz was already walking away, with the blue Gem telling her to wait in the forested area while she searched alone. And when she found the last two humans on her list, they could leave the planet.

The gravity of the situation - the _reality_ of what was happening to him finally began to set in. There really was no getting out of this.

Jamie wasn't aware of his tears until he felt them burning his eyes and blurring his vision, but he'd been robbed of the ability to sob, or to even wipe the tears away. They spilled over onto his cheeks, or at least what was showing of them, and stung his eyes.

It was hopeless. Everything was crashing down around him, and he could see no bright side to this. The optimist in him had been snuffed out, and the world may as well have swallowed him whole with how despaired he felt, and it wouldn't have made any difference.

"Jamie?"

Jamie's eyes shot open, faintly aware of the tears now trickling down his cheeks while his hands pressed into the sides of his head.

 _Kevin?_

Jamie looked over at him, eyes wide, like he hadn't expected to see him there. But he was, staring at Jamie in concern.

The memory... he'd been so caught up in it, he'd nearly lost himself in it. But Kevin's voice had been enough to snap him out of it.

"Sorry, sorry, I, ah..." Jamie's voice trailed off, unsure what to even say. There wasn't much he could say, but thankfully, Kevin wasn't pushing him to finish his thought. It may have just been so that he could let the other man go at his own pace, or because Kevin didn't have to right thing to say in this situation himself. Either way, the way it was obvious that he'd been listening to him so carefully was a small bit of comfort.

"You kinda went quiet there for a second. Are you okay?" Kevin asked finally. He didn't know why he kept asking if Jamie was fine - obviously, he wasn't.

"I don't... I don't know. I guess talking about it feels better. Knowing you looked for me... I am doing a little better, I guess"

Kevin sat up further, the couch shifting under him as he did.

"Why did they even go after you? You didn't do shit to provoke them!" This list the Homeworld Gems were working off of made no damn sense to him - why of all people in Beach City did they go after Jamie?

He hadn't heard the kid talking with the Gems, hadn't heard him confess to being responsible for the list that the Gems worked off of. His focus had been entirely on Jamie during the altercation.

"Steven, he," Jamie sighed, twisting the hem of his hoodie as he spoke, "He mentioned to me almost two years ago that he'd told Peridot about a few humans in Beach City. I was one of them. Well, he just called me 'the mailman', but it was me. He told me when I delivered to him the next time about it. It was flattering, to know I was one of the first humans he thought of. "

What Jamie was omitting from telling Kevin was that it had also left him uneasy, knowing that aliens knew who he was, in a sense. Even if it had just been by his occupation alone, there was still something alarming in that fact in and of itself.

The young actor glanced up when Kevin spoke again, his voice low and brimming with anger.

"The kid is why you were taken?"

Oh no, he shouldn't have said that.

"Don't get angry!" Jamie quickly told him, making Kevin stare at him incredulously. "He didn't know what would happen! This list is almost two years old, no one could have known that something would ever come of it."

Who knew something so seemingly inconsequential would come back to bite them in the ass so hard?

"Besides, 'the kid' is why I'm still here, he gave himself up to protect us."

"He's why you were in this mess in the first place!" Kevin countered right back. Weird Gem related stuff happened whenever that kid showed up, now that he thought about it. What had Jamie called him, Steven? That couldn't be his name. "How can you not be pissed off about this?"

"Because he didn't know better." Jamie told Kevin tenderly, placing a hand on his knee. "His own dad was on that list, Kevin. At least from what I gathered. He'd never want any harm to come to any of us."

Besides, even if Kevin did want to confront Steven, he wasn't here. He was in space, with Lars, for God knows how long, because he'd sacrificed himself to save those who'd been taken.

Which he'd only thought to do when Topaz nearly...

"It's my fault." Jamie sighed, hugging his knees to his chest and leaving Kevin completely flabbergasted.

"How the hell is any of this your fault? It's that twerp's! And that little blue bitch." Kevin told him incredulously. It was all because of that brat.

"Because he gave himself up. If Aquamarine hadn't threatened to have Topaz -"

He stopped short, his hand going to his neck. He didn't need to say anything, it was obvious what he was getting at, Kevin could see it in his eyes.

If Topaz hadn't nearly killed him, the kid wouldn't have intervened.

But that wasn't the whole picture. Yes, the kid had stepped in, but it could just have easily been anyone else they threatened to... kill. And in the end, even if they'd gotten free without the brat offering himself up, that stupid pixie Gem had some kind of weird wand that would have prevented them from escaping, just like when they tried to jump off. There'd been no easy way of getting out of that situation.

Jamie was always obsessing over tiny details, so he couldn't put everything into perspective. He was always like this, and it was a great quality to have when he was getting a play ready. It helped him be a perfectionist. But it was also the reason he'd been so scared to dance, and why he was now making himself feel guilty over something that was entirely out of his control.

"Oh, I feel awful." Jamie groaned, leaning back against his couch while pressing his hands to his face. At least he was still being dramatic as always.

Kevin hated this. Hated seeing Jamie like this. He was so grey and melancholy. It was nothing like the bright personality that he'd come to know and... enjoy. But now he was just falling apart over this, like a grey cloud had consumed him, and it felt like Kevin couldn't do anything to fix that.

It... hurt.

"Well..." He had no experience with this, and trying to find the words of comfort was proving to be an ordeal. "I'm glad... you're here. I was freaking out before and losing my cool, so... y'know. I'm just happy you're here is all. Or whatever."

He sounded so awkward and stupid and he was mentally kicking himself. He didn't have friends, he didn't know how to talk to people like... this. He was really in new, uncharted territory, and he was floundering. He could charm and flirt his way out of any situation. But comfort and console? That was tricky.

If everything wasn't so serious right now he was sure Jamie would be finding this funny. Or pathetic; honestly that's what Kevin thought of his attempts.

So it came as a surprise when Jamie lowered his hands, smiling ever so slightly. Even more so when Jamie leaned over, carefully turning Kevin's head towards him and kissed him softly, making the mantra of 'you idiot' playing over in Kevin's mind go silent.

This was the first time Jamie had initiated a kiss.

This was nothing like the first kiss they'd shared, which was heated with passion and the pent up desire, or like the kiss from when Kevin had ran to Jamie earlier, which had flowed with relief and worry, and something else neither could put into words. It wasn't like any kiss Kevin had ever had. It was sweet, and tender, and slow. Gentle. Loving.

It made him feel like he was... melting.

He wasn't even aware that he'd closed his eyes until he had to open them to look at Jamie when he pulled back, noticing the dust of red across his cheeks. He really did love seeing him blush.

"Thank you for worrying." Jamie smiled, fingers curling around Kevin's hand as he spoke. "And for coming here with me. I guess talking about it is helping. If I was alone, who knows where my mind would go! Well, I mean, I can imagine, but I don't want to. Knowing my tendencies, I'd probably imagine a catastrophe."

Jamie actually laughed; it was quiet, but it sounded genuine, and his eyes closed when he did it. It wasn't forced like earlier. And while Kevin was aware that he couldn't be all fine yet, it was a start.

That familiar Cheshire smile of Kevin's returned, a warmth spreading throughout his chest. It was so nice to see him smiling again. He leaned in to kiss him once more, farther, farther-

He fell face first into the couch.

Jamie had stood up and moved away, completely unaware of Kevin's action.

Kevin sat up quickly, face hot while he frantically brushed his hair back in hopes of looking more casual. Thankfully, Jamie had his back to him and didn't see how much of a colossal idiot he just looked like.

 _Smooth._

"This... might be a bit much to ask, but could you...," When Jamie turned to face him at last, he was blushing way darker now, like he was embarrassed about what he was going to ask.

"Could you stay? The night? I don't... well, I'm not sure I should be alone just yet. I think I'd drive myself crazy."

Spend the night?

As many times as Kevin had come over to his apartment, Jamie had never asked him to spend the night before, and this wasn't exactly how he thought it would go.

But Jamie still wasn't comfortable being alone, so if Kevin staying was what he wanted, he'd do so, without question. Regardless of the circumstances.

"Yeah. Yeah, I can do that. No problem, baby." Kevin said, flashing Jamie a grin, trying to hide the blush of embarrassment burning his own cheeks. He managed to draw out another subtle smile from Jamie before he saw worry flash across his features. Was it too soon to start using pet names again?

"Will your folks be okay with that?"

Kevin actually scoffed. He was an adult, after all, since when did he need their approval? He didn't need their permission for anything. Most of the time, he'd come back home in the early hours of the morning and they wouldn't even bat an eye. He never needed to let them know when he'd be out all night. As long as he didn't crash the car, they didn't care what he did. And that was fine by him; the less they interfered with his life, the better.

Then again... with all the recent disappearances in Beach City...

They knew he frequently left the city, but even they'd taken notice of him sticking around the beach side town more often as of late. They didn't know why, and they didn't ask. And while the missing people had been rescued, well, most of them... not everyone was aware yet. For all they knew, Kevin could have been taken as well. Maybe just this once he'd shoot them a text to let them know he wouldn't be home. For their conscience or whatever.

Or at the very least, for Jamie's peace of mind. The last thing he needed was more to worry himself over.

"Yeah, just gonna give them a heads up."

Jamie seemed relieved to hear that, wandering over to his collection of movies while Kevin texted his parents.

A movie would be a nice way to pass the time, keep his mind from drifting to the events of the day. He didn't want to think about the 'what if' scenarios his brain kept trying to conjure, so at the very least a movie would keep him preoccupied.

"Hey, would you like to watch this?" Jamie asked, holding up a DVD for Kevin to look at. Kevin opened his mouth to respond before his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Wait...

"That's one of your black and white movies, isn't it?"

Kevin had been open to most of Jamie's movie suggestions when he came over, and had actually enjoyed most of what they watched. They were cheesy, mushy romantic nonsense, but hey, he liked them. He would never admit to it, but he did. And Jamie had likewise found enjoyment in whatever Kevin suggested.

But the young man still fought the actor tooth and nail on watching anything that wasn't in color. Of course, it was mostly out of enjoyment of seeing Jamie's cheeks puff up in anger and getting to see a flicker of that cute pout of his.

"Uh... maybe." Jamie said nervously, looking at the movie cover sadly. Ouch, that was a look Kevin hadn't been hoping for, and he sighed to himself, swallowing his pride as he answered.

"Sure. That's... fine."

Jamie's eyes lit up at once, and Kevin tried his damndest to ignore the way his heart warmed at the sight.

"Really? You'll watch it?" His voice raised slightly, his delight becoming clearer. There was no pretending Kevin didn't notice how his heartbeat skipped when he noticed it, but he hid it with a casual shrug, looking away as he did.

"Yeah, why not." He bit back the yell of surprise when Jamie practically threw himself into his lap, pulling him close to press a kiss to his cheek, grinning into it.

Maybe he should have agreed to this sooner.

"Thank you." Jamie finally told when he leaned back from him, taking in Kevin's flushed features. It made his heart flutter in his chest, but he didn't give the feeling anymore thought, moving off of Kevin to put in the movie.

"Don't mention it." Kevin breathed, blinking stupidly as he waited.

Jamie settled back beside him as the movie started, sitting on the opposite end of the couch initially. After a few moments, Kevin saw Jamie shift over, leaning against Kevin's arm, his head on his shoulder while he laced their fingers together.

"Really, though. Thank you for staying here with me, Kevin. It means a lot to me."

The other man didn't respond, but he did smile, tilting his head to watch Jamie for a moment, the action going unobserved.

The movie, it turned out, wasn't half bad. You know, for being in black and white. Since he'd finally caved, Kevin suspected they'd be watching more of them when he started coming over again.

A quiet had settled over the pair as they watched it, but it wasn't uncomfortable, or tense, and it didn't leave Kevin feeling anxious at his inexperience with handling people who were nervous. It was a content kind of quiet.

However, when Kevin glanced at Jamie about halfway through the movie, he saw why. Jamie had fallen asleep against him.

Wait, _what?!_

He'd chosen the movie, and he just fell asleep during it? That wasn't fair! And now Kevin couldn't even move because if he did, he'd wake Jamie. But, as hard a day Kevin may have had while looking for him and driving himself crazy with panic, Jamie's was so much worse.

Stubbornly, Kevin accepted that he'd just be stuck there, watching the rest of the movie alone, and instead of trying to slip his arm out from under him, he looped it around the other man's shoulders.

Well, Kevin didn't mind all that much. Jamie looked relaxed at last, and even if his nerves returned in the morning, for now anyways he looked peaceful.

He didn't like seeing Jamie so anxious. It made him feel edgy and distressed in return. Not because of any reason, he just, he didn't...

Kevin groaned, letting his head fall back against the couch while pinching the bridge of his nose before running his fingers through his hair with a heavy sigh.

 _What was he doing?_

He was stubborn, not stupid. Forgetful maybe, but not dumb.

But he hadn't forgotten what heartbreak felt like, and he didn't want to go through that again. Regardless of what he wanted though, his emotions seemed to be playing against him.

He... liked Jamie. A lot. Enough that it started to seriously scare him, not because he liked him, but because of where that could lead. He could pretend he didn't like the other man all he wanted, and so far had; successfully convincing himself that it was nothing. Convinced himself that the familiar rush he felt when around him, something he knew well from his last relationship, was just his mind playing tricks on him. It's what he told himself over and over, and it worked.

But that was before today. Before he'd broken down at the sight of that Topaz nearly crushing his skull like it was... God, why did it have to be him?

Jamie seemed fine for now, but a person didn't just get over something like that in a day. Jamie was an actor; for all Kevin knew, he could have been putting on a mask to try and keep him from getting any more worried. He seemed to be bottling everything up - admitting he wasn't okay, but then smiling despite it, laughing to keep from crying. Kevin related to that - he wasn't the type of person to wear his heart on his sleeve, and he kept anything too emotional close to his chest. He didn't like opening up to people; doing so got you hurt.

He'd learned that the hard way.

But Jamie was a much more emotional person than him, so seeing him trying to handle everything like this was concerning. You could only keep it all in for so long until you blew up, he knew that.

Jamie was still too shaken up by what had happened, he didn't need this on his mind as well. Kevin came with his own hang ups and emotional baggage, and he didn't feel like sharing it with anyone, especially if Jamie still had his own issues to work through first in light of the abduction.

That was fine with Kevin, relieving, even. After Sabina, he was looking forward keeping things on a label free basis.

Oh... he hadn't seized up at the memory of her name this time. He felt his face flush with humiliation and his entire body tense, but it was progress.

He sighed again, more out of frustration. Why did he keep thinking of her so often now? No, no he knew why - because he was starting to feel for someone again, and just like before, it scared the shit out of him. He didn't want to go through that pain again.

Maybe... maybe he'd consider calling whatever was between them something later, but not now, absolutely not. Kevin had gotten more emotional today than he'd let himself be in a long time, and that was too much for him to handle. It just made him think of last time too much.

Of course, Sabina had never made him cry. Close, but he kept himself in check. Even when she had stomped his heart into dust and left him with mortifying humiliation, he hadn't shed any tears. He kept the pain inside; probably not a good idea, but he didn't like to deal with those kinds of feelings. He'd gotten angry, but she hadn't broken him, even if she had wanted to. Just bent him into an unrecognizable shape. And while he'd always been a jerk, even before her, it was only after her that he'd become closed off.

Jamie was the first person he'd ever cried over. He'd shattered for him, into a hundred shards, and that pain - the pain of nearly losing him, of nearly watching him die - it was worse than what she'd done. So in reality, he should have been running as far away from Jamie as possible, as fast as he could.

But he was here with him. And he wanted to say he didn't know why, but he did.

After what he'd gone through, commitment terrified Kevin. He wasn't willing to open himself up like that again, not when this extreme reaction was still fresh in his mind, and the effects of what she'd done still lingered. He couldn't let himself be vulnerable, not yet.

Later. But not yet.

Kevin closed his eyes, breathing deeply. He really was just a heartbroken loser.

(-)

Jamie woke, still drowsy. He was as well rested as he could be - he'd fidgeted in his sleep a bit, but he was grateful that it had been dreamless. He didn't have the energy to deal with nightmares over the ordeal right now.

Sitting up, he rubbed at his eyes and stifled a yawn. He'd fallen asleep against Kevin's shoulder some time during the movie, a fact that brought a rosy glow to Jamie's cheeks. He hadn't intended to fall asleep on the couch with him.

When he shifted more, he felt a weight drop off of him, and realized Kevin had draped his arm over his shoulders. If it had been while they were watching the movie, Jamie hadn't noticed, and he liked to think he'd have been more observant to such an action. It must have been after he'd fallen asleep... that was sweet.

Careful not to wake his couch companion, Jamie stood carefully, stepping over Kevin's legs as slowly as he could before shuffling to the kitchen. He couldn't muster up the energy to go and change into some fresh clothes, not until he had something to wake himself up, anyways. It was around noon time, he'd never slept in this late before. Even on the weekends.

Coffee? No no, absolutely not. The last thing his body needed right now was caffeine. He hadn't the foresight to buy anything non-caffeinated before, since his job required he get up so early, so he settled on making himself tea instead.

Wait, his job!

Jamie checked his phone, silently cursing himself for not remembering to charge it during the night - it was nearly dead.

Uh... maybe it wasn't best to use that word just yet. Out of power, it was almost out of power.

Barbara had called him, and he felt himself smile tiredly when he read the messages she'd left since he hadn't been awake to answer. She insisted he stay home and rest, saying he didn't have to worry about coming in today. She would handle his route.

He felt a twinge of guilt over it though. Barbara had almost lost her daughter during the abduction, he knew she'd probably want to stay home and spend the day with Sadie. He didn't want her going through anymore trouble over him when she deserved to spend time with her daughter.

He called her back as he began to fill a kettle with water, speaking softly on the phone so as to not wake Kevin, who was still fast asleep.

"I promise, I'm fine. You don't have to cover for me today, I just slept in. I can be there in just a few minutes!" He tried insisting, setting the full kettle on the stove to boil.

"You're sweet, Jamie." He heard Barbara laugh. She sounded as tired as he felt. "But this is on me. I still owe ya for the favor a few weeks week, consider this me paying you back."

"I told you, you don't have to worry about that." Jamie laughed slightly, stretching above his head to retrieve his favorite mug - a small, light blue one. It was dainty, but he liked it.

Barbara has already paid him back, in a way. That favor of hers was how he'd met Kevin, after all.

"Sorry kiddo, but I'm gonna be a stubborn mom on this one. No buts! 'Cause I ain't gonna change my mind!" She told him. "Besides, Sadie is at work today. I tried convincing her to stay home, but she's more headstrong than I am! I think she wanted something to keep her mind off the whole thing, you know?"

He understood completely.

He wanted to try and convince her to let him come in, saying it wasn't fair to her to handle both of their work loads, but he knew he'd have a better chance at moving a brick wall, so he only sighed and smiled.

"Alright, I give. You win. But I'm coming in tomorrow! I can't let you handle my route two days in a row."

"Only if you let me and Sadie bring you something over for dinner." Barbara told him, and he could tell by her tone that she was both smiling and serious.

"That's not necessary, I can take care of myself." Jamie told her, watching the kettle starting to bubble up just slightly.

"I know, I know, but just consider it my treat." Barbara told him. "I'm doing the same thing for the Barrigas."

Jamie felt a jolt of pain shoot through him at the mention of them. Poor Martha and Dante... poor Lars...

"When you see them, can you tell them that I'm hoping for the best?" Jamie asked nervously, starting to pace in his tiny kitchen.

"You got it, kiddo." Barbara told him, and the soothing tone she took did seem to ease his nerves. She could hear the worried twinge in his voice, no doubt.

"And hey, maybe try and get out today, too." She added, making Jamie pause. "I don't like the idea of you staying cooped up alone in that apartment of yours all day."

"I'll remember to go out later." Jamie told her before adding, "But I'm not alone, actually. Kevin is here with me."

"Really?" She asked. If the circumstances were different, she may have begun to tease him for having his crush over, but she understood why he was probably there. "Maybe I judged that kid too quick. He's got a real attitude problem, but he seems to really care about you. And you like him, so he can't be all bad."

Jamie laughed slightly, feeling heat bloom in his cheeks. He thanked her again for her being so considerate, quickly adding to tell Sadie 'hi' from him before hanging up.

With silence now filling the apartment, the warmth in his chest began to fade, his nerves beginning to come out again.

Jamie leaned his back against the counter, fingers drumming against the aluminum. He had calmed down a considerable amount from last night, but even one of his favorite movies and an admittedly restless sleep couldn't entirely ease his jitters.

A shuffling from the couch caught Jamie's attention, and he noticed Kevin straightening up, evidently awake as he stretched his arms to the ceiling. His normally perfectly kept hair was now messy, sticking out in odd directions, and Jamie would be lying if he said he didn't find it a tad bit adorable as he snickered slightly.

Kevin groaned, reaching around to rub his lower back. He wasn't used to sleeping in an upright position. He was pretty sure he'd read somewhere that it was bad for your posture or something. It took him a few moments to remember where he was, the memories of which came back as soon as he noticed Jamie watching him idly from the kitchen. When the latter realized he'd been staring, he quickly turned his focus to the fridge, making Kevin smirk to himself. He was too cute sometimes. Even the worries from the previous night didn't change that.

"Good morning! I'm, uh, I'm making tea. Do you want any?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

Kevin wasn't much of a tea drinker. He preferred lattes and espressos when starting his day, but he wasn't about to turn down the offer.

"Sure, tea sounds fine." He said, resting his chin on his folded arms as he leaned on the arm of the couch itself, watching him. He still flashed Jamie a smile when he glanced at him.

Hearing and seeing Kevin go so long without making his usual flirtatious remarks was unusual; Jamie had noticed the other man had toned down the flirting almost entirely since the... incident, a fact Jamie was, admittedly, grateful for. Even if the comments did make his stomach flutter in a not entirely unpleasant way.

Shaking his head, Jamie went about getting another cup down for his guest. Deciding it was pointless to just stand around and wait for the water to boil, and no longer having to worry about the kettle's whistle waking up Kevin, he carefully made his way back over to the couch. He sat down beside him carefully, his knee brushing the other man's. Kevin with messy hair was cute... Jamie didn't even want to imagine what he looked like.

The two remained quiet, with Jamie tugging idly at the sleeves of his hoodie, with the only sound being the gentle bubbling of water and the birds chirping delightfully outside. It was peaceful. Almost like there hadn't been a mass kidnapping by alien rock ladies the latter part of the week.

"So, no work?" Kevin finally spoke. His sudden question made Jamie jump slightly, having been lost in his own thoughts once more, though he quickly recovered, clearing his throat.

"Ah, no, uh, Barb called. She said I didn't need to come in. She wants me to stay home and relax."

Relax... He could do that. Hopefully.

Wait, had Kevin heard their conversation? Oh God, how much did he hear?

"So free day, huh? That's cool." Kevin said, nodding. He was speaking much softer now, more gently. He seemed to pick up on some cues on how to talk to Jamie since the previous night. He was still more or less winging it, but Jamie hadn't freaked out on him yet, so he had to be doing something right.

He had one arm resting against the back of the couch, the other on the arm of the couch while folding his left leg over his right knee. But a moment later, he began to rub his right arm, as though it were sore.

"Is your arm okay?" Jamie asked, tilting his head curiously. It was a habit Kevin had noticed from him, and it was endearing.

"What?" Kevin blinked, looking at Jamie's concerned eyes. "Oh, no it's fine. You just fell asleep on it so it's stiff."

"Sorry about that." Jamie laughed weakly, shoulders hunching.

"It's fine. Who needs their right arm anyways?"

Jamie laughed again, a genuine laugh, just like the night before. The kind that made his eyes shine right before they closed.

"Well, when you put it like that." Jamie said, the laughter turning into quiet chuckling. He noticed Kevin smile in return, one eyebrow raised at him.

That warmth settled in his chest again as Jamie took hold of Kevin's scarf, a familiar glint in his eye as he leaned forward, with Kevin mirroring the movement and closing the gap - the first kiss they'd both moved into at the same time.

There was a touch of hesitance in it, both taking it slow and careful at first. But as Kevin's arms encircled Jamie's waist, drawing him closer against himself, any apprehension that either may have had vanished, and Jamie let himself get lost in it.

His fingers combed through Kevin's hair, a sigh escaping the other man when he did, making Jamie's stomach feel full of butterflies. That feeling of weightlessness only increased when Kevin's hands moved from his lower back to his hips.

Jamie leaned more into the kiss, his heart pounding in his chest, equal with Kevin's, with the faint taste of mint still lingering on Kevin's lips while that familiar scent of his cologne clouded his mind. It was quickly becoming his favorite smell.

A quiet gasped escaped from Kevin when Jamie raked his nails across his scalp gently, unconsciously pulling him closer when he did, the kiss becoming slightly more needy on his end. Jamie had no idea just what he did to him.

When Jamie finally pulled away, fully aware of the heat that had settled itself in his abdomen, he let out a muffled gasp himself when Kevin pulled him back for a final brief kiss before finally letting him go.

The young actor could have swore he saw a flicker of something in Kevin's eyes, something that made his heartbeat falter, but when he blinked it was gone, and all he was left with was a dazed expression, similar to the one Jamie wore himself.

Wishful thinking.

Jamie didn't make any effort to move away from Kevin, letting his hands rest on his shoulders instead. Kevin was the first to speak, his voice a low purr to Jamie.

"So, any plans then, playboy?"

Jamie's half lidded eyes widened as heat fired across his face, and any fragment of the heated tension was broken when he let out a snort of a laugh, quickly slapping a hand over his mouth.

Oh God he did not just do that.

It wasn't his fault! He hadn't heard that nickname since the festival, and even then, it turned him into a flustered mess. No matter how used to Kevin's flirtations he'd gotten, he could still catch him off guard.

Kevin's own darkened gaze vanished when he blinked at Jamie's laugh, a grin splitting across his face.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

"Did you just snort?"

"No!" Jamie insisted, the blush now seeping past the neck of his mint hoodie as he tried to hide his face with his hands. Kevin started laughing, tilting his chin up.

"I haven't heard you do that before." Kevin snickered, smirking at the embarrassed whine Jamie let out while he turned his head away, pulling his hood over his head and tugging on the draw strings.

"Shut up, I don't usually do that!" Jamie groaned, cringing when Kevin pulled his hood back off. The mortification he felt was forgotten when Kevin pressed a kiss to his cheek, his chuckle low in his ear.

"I think it's cute."

Jamie blinked, turning to look at Kevin in disbelief.

"You... do?"

"Yeah." Kevin's smile was gentle, head falling to the side as he looked at him. "Shame I haven't heard it 'till now."

Jamie's nervous gaze fell away as he looked at Kevin, his blush not fading while he stared at him.

"Question still stands." Kevin smirked, making Jamie come out of his starry eyed daze.

"Oh! Oh, right, right, I..."

Jesus Christ, was he smitten.

"I don't feel like heading out just yet. Not quite ready to face the world." Jamie admitted with a weak laugh. Kevin nodded at that, responding with another 'cool'. Jamie didn't know he'd heard Barbara's suggestion to get out. He'd make sure Jamie followed her advice.

Besides, the thought of staying in all day already had Kevin antsy. He didn't like staying in; he'd much rather be out. Even cruising would be better than being holed up in an apartment barely bigger than his bathroom.

However, taking note of how Jamie was still wringing his hands at the hem of his hoodie - something the mailman didn't seem aware he was doing - he knew he probably shouldn't push him to get out just yet.

"No worries, baby. I'll keep you company."

Jamie rolled his eyes, but the telltale warmth in his cheeks didn't go unnoticed, and he let himself smile softly.

"Thanks. Maybe we can watch another movie?"

Kevin groaned, letting his head fall back against the couch, making Jamie chuckle.

"It won't be another black and white movie, will it? I got stuck watching the one from last night alone. It was boring."

He was lying, he'd liked it. He just loved irritating Jamie.

"First of all, don't you dare speak ill of Casablanca. Second, you are well aware I do own movies in color, so you don't have to worry." Jamie snickered. His attention was grabbed immediately by a whistling in the kitchen - tea was done.

"Oh, uh." Jamie laughed nervously, clearing his throat as he pushed himself up off of Kevin, pretending not to notice how Kevin's hands slid down his legs when he stood, or the smirk he was given. He made his way past Kevin, aware that his eyes followed him as he trailed back into the kitchen to move the kettle off of the stove.

"How do you like your tea?" He called back, beginning to pour.

"Eh, just make mine like yours."

"Lots of milk it is!" Jamie exclaimed, biting his cheek at the crack in his voice while pouring a generous amount into both their cups. The excitement got a snicker from the brunette on the couch, watching and waiting as Jamie made their drinks.

Sitting back beside Kevin, Jamie sighed with contentment as he sipped his tea. This was definitely helping. Kevin was a bit more hesitant with his drink, but he found it wasn't too bad. For tea, anyways.

Jamie finished his drink in no time, feeling a slight bounce in his step as he made his way to his movies, flipping through them as Kevin watched lazily.

Jamie seemed to be doing better... that was good. So why did he still feel nervous for him?

"Have you seen... Pride and Prejudice?" Jamie asked, brandishing the DVD case with his normal dramatic flourish. It was one of his favorites.

"Uh, no?" Kevin said, as if the answer was obvious. Okay, Jamie should have figured that.

"Trust me, you'll love it. It's a classic." Jamie insisted, standing back up.

"Is it in color?"

"Yes, Kevin. It's in color."

Jamie settled down next to Kevin on the weathered couch, actually feeling relaxed as he watched the movie begin. At least he was partially following Barbara's advice. He even let himself lean against the Kevin's side, though his was mindful of his arm this time. And was immediately aware of when Kevin slipped it around his waist. This was nice...

But it didn't last.

He couldn't help his thoughts as they began to wander. He tried to focus on the movie, he really did. He wanted to let himself be drawn into the picture, but the worries he'd been suppressing began to show their ugly head once more. The 'what if's began to cloud his head, turning dark fast.

He'd been feeling good, he'd been happy, why was this happening now? He knew he wouldn't get over this in a day, but why did the shadow have to come back now...

About thirty minutes into the movie, Kevin glanced over at Jamie, and felt a coldness settle over him. It was obvious that Jamie wasn't engaged with the film; Kevin had come to recognize the sparkle that was in his eyes when he watched a movie, especially one he enjoyed; the way they'd glitter like diamonds. He loved that look.

But that light wasn't in his eyes right now. He wasn't watching the movie so much as he was just staring at the screen, eyes dull, not absorbing any of it.

If his attention wasn't on the movie, Kevin had a pretty good idea where his mind had wandered to. And he wasn't about to let Jamie wallow in the sea of despair.

Jamie may have not wanted to take Barbara's advice, but Kevin had an idea of how to get him outside.

He'd take the fall.

"Alright, no offense or anything, but if I don't get out, I'm gonna explode. I can't stand feeling claustrophobic." He finally said, making Jamie turn to him in surprise. At least he'd got his attention.

"I didn't take you for the claustrophobic type."

"I'm a free spirit, baby." Kevin grinned, holding his chin as he spoke and winking at Jamie. "I don't like to be caged."

Brightness returned to Jamie's eyes as he chuckled quietly. Not much, but it was something.

But... Go out? Jamie wasn't so sure; he knew Barbara would want him to, but he was completely content with staying inside all day (or the next few days), binging his favorite movies. Kevin seemed to sense the hesitance, and pressed further. He wasn't going to quit so easily.

"Besides, it'll be good to get out. Sunlight, fresh air, all that crap."

Jamie snorted, quirking an eyebrow at him.

"You should give health advice."

"I read it somewhere." Kevin replied nonchalantly. Probably the same place he'd read that it was bad to fall asleep sitting up.

Jamie mulled it over in his mind while Kevin watched him. He had a point; he couldn't stay cooped up inside, letting his paranoia, nerves and anxiety work him up so much and consume him. It would be nice to go out, feel the sunshine and the ocean breeze. After all, he'd watched Pride and Prejudice a hundred times; he knew the movie by heart.

"Yeah sure, lets go." Jamie finally agreed, exhaling a deep breath and offering a nervous but excited smile.

"Cool, we can walk along the beach. It'll be romantic." Kevin grinned.

Panic flashed across Jamie's eyes.

What, what was wrong?

Wait.

Shit, _no!_

Not the beach, _not the beach!_ That's where he'd been taken, what the hell was he thinking?!

Kevin cringed at his own suggestion. That had been stupid; of course Jamie wouldn't want to go anywhere near the beach, not after he'd been snatched off of it just the day before. Dammit, he really needed to think before he spoke.

"Forget I said that. Why don't we just walk along the boardwalk?" Kevin offered, voice tight. Jamie sighed in relief at the suggestion and nodded.

"That would be fine."

Kevin laughed nervously, his tense shoulders relaxing. When Jamie stood, Kevin's eyes traveling upward as he did, he tried to smother himself with his own scarf as soon as Jamie wasn't looking.

"I should get cleaned up first. You're welcome to use my shower when I'm done."

He should change as well; the hoodie and sweatpants were beginning to make him feel far too warm. They'd been fine last night, when he was soaking wet and cold. But maybe too much for walking around in.

As he began to walk away, Kevin noticed that, despite the other male being nervous about going out, most of the tension that had built up from yesterday had eased away. With this in mind, he decided to throw out a riskier line.

"Can I watch?" Kevin asked, flashing a cheeky grin when Jamie whirled around, red faced and wide eyed. He really was too cute for his own good, especially when he got like this.

"I- what- no!" He finally managed, voice a few octaves higher than he liked. Kevin laughed at the reaction, grin falling into a smirk.

"Relax, baby. I was just joking. Mostly."

Sometimes with Kevin, it was hard to tell.

For his trouble, Jamie hit him in the face with one of the pillows on his couch. Kevin still caught sight of his blush when he walked down the hall. Kevin leaned over the back of the couch, smiling after him. As soon as the bathroom door was closed, he buried his face into the pillow, groaning.

Damn... he really had fallen for him.

(-)

The commotion caught the pair's attention, with Jamie pulling Kevin along curiously by his hand. A small crowd had gathered in front of Fish Stew Pizza, and as they walked closer, Jamie could see they'd come together to listen to Mayor Dewey and - wait, that voice...

Steven?

 _STEVEN!_

"Jamie, my hand - my _hand_!" Kevin winced, tugging his hand free as it was nearly crushed, rubbing his fingers while shooting the overjoyed mailman a dirty look. It went unnoticed as Jamie threw his arms around Kevin's neck, nearly choking him now.

Steven was back! He was home, he was safe! He was okay! He and Lars, somehow they'd found a way back! Or the Crystal Gems had found a way to rescue them, either way, it didn't matter, because he was home. He was home, safe and sound. If it weren't for the group of people, he would have ran and hugged him right then, but he decided to wait until it had thinned out. The air was thick with tension, but why? Steven and Lars were -

"This whole abduction business was a real close call, huh?" The mayor exclaimed into his megaphone, wiping off his forehead in a display of relief.

A close call? Was that really what Mayor Dewey considered the events of the previous day to be?

"But look around you - everyone is safe, and accounted for!" Dewey continued, with Steven looking nervous behind him. Something wasn't right...

"That's not true!" That was Sadie's voice, Jamie could just make her out beside... Lars' parents. But...

"What about my friend Lars?!"

No... no, no, no, no. Lars wasn't...

The chill that ran through Jamie was followed by a sickly sinking feeling, which was cut with anger at the mayor's response.

"Who?"

Who? _Who?_ Dewey didn't know who Lars was? How could he not know?! How could he not know he was still missing? Jamie hadn't known because he'd been home all day, and had made the assumption that since Steven was back, that meant Lars was too. But as Sadie continued to yell, and Jamie could see Martha's tears begin to fall, the young actor realized how wrong he was, and the nausea hit him heavily.

Jamie knew that Mayor Dewey being blamed for the abductions wasn't fair. It wasn't his fault, he had no control over that. And the people that tried to blame him for that only wanted to put a face to the tragedy.

But what _was_ fair, and what _was_ justified was the backlash to his flippant, discourteous, thoughtless and all around _hurtful_ response to Lars'... situation. And his lack of involvement with the town, who'd banded together in support and searching, to help try and find those who'd been taken. If ever there was a time that Dewey should have really stepped in and lead his people, or at least showed compassion and sympathy for those suffering, like his son Buck had with Sour Cream, this was it.

But Dewey hadn't. He'd stayed locked away in his home, waiting for everything to blow over, and just willing the town's anger away. All he'd done was fan the flames.

Steven, bless his heart, had tried to help everyone see that no fault lied with the mayor, and tried explaining that he'd provided the list that the Gems had followed. Jamie had only caught the tail end of his explanation when he came upon the crowd, and Kevin was aware the town already knew about the list thanks to Priyanka, just not how it had been given.

But Steven hadn't known any better, no one, not Sadie, or the Barrigas, or Jamie, could find it in their hearts to be angry at him. He was just a kid. But Dewey did know better. He was the mayor, he shouldn't have needed a child to defend him and give excuses for his ignorance to the town's suffering. If anything, all it did was highlight the issues with how he ran the town.

Dewey had always been more financially focused when it came to Beach City. During the event with the food trucks, he'd been completely blind to the fact that the local businesses were suffering, and had only cared that he was making money off of the event. Even when confronted with the reality, he didn't seem to see the errors of his ways until it was too late. Sure, he had the town picnic the next day, but it was only a knee jerk response to an issue he hadn't even concerned himself with. Like he was just trying to save face.

Jamie knew the mayor to be an anxious man. During every town event, be it Beach-A-Palooza, the Renaissance Faire, the Fall Festival, or even the play Jamie had been asked to put on, when the young actor would volunteer to help out or participate in some way, he got the see Dewey's nerves first hand. He knew he did really try to do his best for the town itself, but the people...

He was distant from them. Distant and detached.

Anxiety and worry was no excuse for his behavior when this was his job. And calling what had happened a 'close call', in which people _had_ been stolen away, people _had_ been taken to space, and Jamie had nearly been...

The mayor just seemed too _okay_ with it. And the fact Lars _had_ been taken, he _had_ been abducted into space and was now more than likely trapped, and his parents were there, listening to a leader who supposedly cared so much for the town not even know who Lars was, or that he was still missing... Saying he'd just replace him. Like _that_ was the issue, and not that Martha and Dante had lost their son. Not the fact that somewhere, up there, Lars was alone, without his friends and family, with no known way of getting him back.

Jamie knew it was selfish to let his mind go to this scenario, as it was not the issue, but Dewey's response really made him wonder... How would the mayor respond to _him_ having been the one still missing? He knew him somewhat more personally because he'd put on the play for him, but then again, Dewey's own son was best friends with Lars, but that hadn't changed anything. Would he have just replaced him too if Topaz had actually...

Jamie could hardly blame the townspeople when they began to boo Mayor Dewey, and didn't at all judge Martha when she threw something at the mayor, though he did give Kevin a dirty look for laughing.

He felt kind of... numb as he waited until the crowd had calmed down somewhat, watching Sadie go into Fish Stew Pizza and the Barrigas leave, just catching sight of Martha's tears. Whether they were out of grief or anger, Jamie wasn't sure anymore.

Still, he forced an uncomfortable smile on his face as he walked up to Steven, who looked more than a little frustrated with how the speech Dewey gave had gone. At the sight of the mailman though, his eyes lit up, making Jamie feel just a little bit better.

"Jamie!" Steven said, hopping down and hugging the man tightly, getting a weak laugh from Jamie as he knelt down to return it.

He was starting to not feel okay again.

"Hey! It's so good to see you, I'm so glad you're okay!" He said, squeezing Steven in his hug before letting him go, hoping the child found his smile convincing enough. "Last I saw you, you were... well, yeah, you know."

"Sacrificing myself to Homeworld Gems?" Steven laughed nervously himself. "I'm okay though, honest."

That made one of them.

"When did you get back?" Jamie asked him, standing up as he felt Kevin step up beside him. He saw Steven look over at him, glaring but saying nothing to the other man while he answered Jamie.

"Sometime last night. I was in front of Blue and Yellow Diamond, but Lars and I escaped in a palanquin, it was crazy! Then we met these really nice Gems, and they're with Lars now! So he's... fine."

He didn't really like the way Steven said that...

"But why isn't Lars here? How did you get back and not him?" Jamie asked, watching the mayor try and wipe away the tomato from his face.

"It's, uh... kind of a long story." Steven admitted sheepishly. "I have to help Mayor Dewey prepare for the debate tomorrow, but Sadie can tell you what happened!"

Debate, there was going to be a debate? With who else?

"Wait, I know you." Dewey spoke up, bits of red juice still on his face as he regarded Jamie. Steven made a frantic hand gesture, trying to signal the mayor to just stay quiet, but it went unnoticed.

"You're the one who did my play, right?" Dewey continued, and Jamie could feel a prickle of anger starting in him. "Don't tell me... James? It's James, right?"

The mayor beamed while Jamie only stared at him, amazed and unamused. Steven had just said his name, how did he not hear him?!

"You see? I know my people!" Mayor Dewey exclaimed, flashing a toothy smile, at which Steven only groaned. His arrogance over being wrong seemed to be the last straw for Kevin, who bristled next to Jamie. Before the young actor had the chance to say anything, Kevin lost his temper.

"It's Jamie! His name is Jamie, and you're an idiot!" After hearing Priyanka only refer to him as 'the mailman', Kevin had no tolerance for anyone calling Jamie by anything but his name.

"That's not true!" Steven tried to step in, but the glare he received from Kevin, boiling with anger, was actually enough to make him keep quiet while the young man pointed at him accusingly.

"You stay out of this! You're why any of this happened, but Jamie told me to leave you alone, so you can consider yourself lucky, brat!" Jamie tried reaching for Kevin, wanting to calm him down, but he was already getting back in the fearful Mayor's face.

"Where the hell were you when he went missing? He got taken in broad daylight, and I spent the whole day looking for him! Meanwhile, you just hid in your stupid house, doing nothing!"

Kevin was fuming while the mayor held his hands up defensively, a noticeable nervous sweat trickling down his balding head. Steven stood to the side, apprehensive to intervene, and staring at Kevin in shock before glancing at the anxious actor beside him. Kevin had actually looked for him? He'd cared about someone besides himself?

It was only when Jamie stepped in front of Kevin that he backed off.

"Kevin, it's fine." Jamie tried to say, but the other man was having none of it.

"It's not fine! None of this is fine, and neither are you! How can you act like you're okay with this? You almost died, and he doesn't even know your name!"

He shouldn't have said that, he regretted the words the moment they left his mouth as the flash of fear was clear in Jamie's eyes.

"I'm... aware." Jamie said quietly. But Kevin was right... He wasn't okay. He just didn't like to get angry. Even if it was getting harder to keep it in check with everything the mayor had been saying.

"Wait, your name really isn't James?" Dewey asked quietly, and for a moment, the anger that Jamie had been suppressing, along with all the anxiety and nerves, rushed to the surface. It was only when Kevin started to step forward again that Jamie held his tongue, pressing against his chest to usher him away.

They weren't doing this now. Steven had mentioned Sadie could tell him what happened to Lars, and that was his only concern right now.

(-)

"Lars... died?"

It didn't seem real, no matter how many times Jamie said it.

Buck and Jenny were in the small restaurant, along with Sadie and Ronaldo. Sadie had wanted too cool off before going back to her job, and Ronaldo was evidently on break, and had wanted to know all the details to Steven's story from the young woman.

"Yeah." Sadie sighed, hugging her arms as she stood near two thirds of the cool kids - Sour Cream was spending the day with his mother, and had been with Onion until his little brother had decided to listen to Dewey's speech as well. For as mellow as he was, he didn't feel like listening to the mayor's jabber right then.

"But Steven brought him back, so he's like... half alive?" She added, unsure.

"So does that make him a zombie?" Ronaldo asked, earning an eye roll from Kevin. God, did he hate him.

"Steven was quick to assure me that no, he's not a zombie." Sadie told Ronaldo, frowning at him. "Though Lars would disagree..."

"It sucks that he's still up there." Buck spoke up. "Things aren't going to be the same without Lars."

"I know, I can't believe it!" Jenny agreed, with Jamie groaning as he buried his face in his arms on the table. The guilt was returning with a vengeance. "Nanefua is super mad with how your dad is handling things. She plans to change how we handle this stuff from now on when she becomes mayor."

"I totally get it." Buck said, his tone unchanging as he agreed with his friend. "My dad really dropped the ball. It's so uncool how he handled all of this."

"So you were okay with Kiki and I protesting outside your house earlier?" Jenny asked him.

"Yeah, it was cool. Who do you think gave your sister the signs?"

"Aw." Jenny hummed, hugging Buck and giving him a friendly kiss on the cheek.

"I just hope Lars gets back soon." Sadie sighed, getting the conversation back on track. "And I hope he gets home safe."

"Are you kidding?" Ronaldo shouted, making everyone jump slightly. "I would kill to be in Lars position! It's so unfair, he's so lucky!"

Ronaldo received glares from almost everyone in the restaurant, or at least most likely, it was hard to tell with Buck's sunglasses, but he was frowning in disapproval. Jamie slowly lifted his head, and Kevin could see the clear annoyance in his eyes. Sadie kept her own head down as she stared at the floor, her bangs causing a shadow to fall over her face.

"What's wrong with you?" Jenny asked finally, placing her hands on her hips as she stared at Ronaldo.

While Kevin never agreed with the Pizza girl, he was still agitated from the mayor, and spoke up after her.

"Dude, you seriously need to shut your mouth." Ronaldo never shut the hell up, and it grated on Kevin's nerves more than anything else. He may have been a jerk, and was proud of that, but he was fully aware of the fact he was an ass. Ronaldo was obnoxious without even realizing it.

"I'm just saying," Ronaldo started, shrugging as he tried to defend himself, "that this is the opportunity of a lifetime! Imagine everything Lars must be seeing up there! He's on their home planet, that's amazing! I wish I was there!"

Jenny scoffed at his comments, folding her arms as she made a face at him. Sadie seemed to tense, and opened her mouth to respond.

Jamie beat her to it.

"No, I don't want to imagine it." He started off quietly, making everyone, especially Kevin, pay attention to him. "I don't want to imagine what he's seeing, I don't want think about what he's going through!"

His fingers had curled into fists on the table, and he was visibly shaking again. Kevin hesitated reaching for him, unsure if doing so would only exacerbate the situation.

"How could you even say that?!" Jamie finally snapped, staring at Ronaldo with undeniable pain in his eyes. "How could you possibly wish you were there? You don't know what it felt like to be abducted! You don't know! It wasn't 'fun', it wasn't 'exciting', it was horrifying! I had no idea what was happening, or why, or who else was going to be hurt! I didn't know what they planned to do with us! None of us did! You have no idea how scared I was when those Gems attacked, or when I saw that everyone else was trapped inside one of them! You don't how helpless I felt when I couldn't call out for anyone, and how I could do nothing to warn Connie when the Gems took her too! You don't know what it feels like to think you're going to die because a Gem is going to crush your skull..."

Jamie winced inwardly at the last bit, his hand going to his throat as he started to feel sick again. He'd been avoiding actually saying it out loud thus far, but now he had, and it was still surreal to him.

"You don't know... So don't act like you wish you were in any of our places."

"Well, yeah..." Ronaldo started slowly, the air heavy now after Jamie's furious, impassioned speech. "I mean it sucks you almost died-" _Kevin was going to kill him_ , "- and I'm sorry about that, but you're here! And Lars is fine."

Sadie had been the quiet one the entire time, ever since Ronaldo had started talking; she hadn't said a word, and hadn't looked at him. But just like Jamie, her tolerance had met its end.

She may have been small, but her temper was equal to Kevin's, and twice as explosive.

"AGH! Do you even listen to yourself when you talk?!" She shouted, throwing her hands up as she spun around to face him, jabbing a finger at him. It didn't matter that she was a few feet shorter than Ronaldo - height did nothing to lessen the effect of her words.

"Did you even listen when _I_ talked? Lars isn't fine, Ronaldo! Lars was killed! The fact Steven was even able to bring him back at all is a miracle! He didn't know he could do that! No one did! What would you do or say if he hadn't been able to bring him back?!"

Ronaldo held up a hand to answer, faltering for a moment. Sadie didn't give him the chance to recover as she kept on yelling, tears of anger forming in her eyes. She'd already lost it at the mayor, she was not in the mood for this.

"I thought Lars was your friend! Or at least he used to be, before you tried to feed him to a lighthouse! But you act like you don't even care about what's happened to him! Or that he's lightyears away from home on some alien planet, hiding from, from evil, angry, murderous rock women tyrants!"

Every time Ronaldo looked like he may have something to say, he was cut off, the look of fear on his face slipping into guilt at her next statement.

"You can go ahead and wish all you want that you could have been taken, but just take two seconds to imagine how your family would feel! Peedee, and your dad! Now imagine how Lars' parents feel!"

No one made any attempt to calm her down, or to stop her tirade, just like no one had tried to quell Jamie's anger. They needed to let this out.

"They're destroyed over this, Ronaldo! I know! Because I had to go over there, alone, and tell them that their son died and he's not even entirely human anymore! Steven never made it because he's trying to help our stupid mayor, even though everyone deserves to be mad at him! You can't imagine their faces when I told them that! How, even when I said Steven brought him back, they were still devastated! His mom was crying, Ronaldo! And Mayor Dewey didn't even know he was still gone! They had to watch our own mayor say he didn't even know who he was, and that he just wanted to replace him at the Big Donut! Can you just, for once, forget about your obsession with aliens and show some compassion!"

She cared about Lars - he was her best friend, and despite all his faults, she wanted the best for him. With Ronaldo not even considering how his words were affecting her, she didn't care how emotional she was getting.

"Imagine how _WE_ felt Ronaldo! You might think it's 'cool' to be abducted by aliens, but we didn't! Just like Jamie said, we were terrified! We didn't know what they wanted with us, or what they were going to do with us! For all we knew, we would never see our families again! Or our friends! And you just don't get that! And now Lars is gone, and we don't know when he's coming back! That could just have easily been any of us, or all of us! Do you realize that?"

The more Sadie yelled and ranted, the worse Ronaldo looked, until by the end he couldn't even look at her. But towards the end of her screaming, her voice had gone quiet and hoarse

Finally, it looked like someone had gotten through to him.

"I care." Was all the blogger could muster, rubbing his arm.

Sadie sighed, wiping at her eyes.

"Well it certainly doesn't seem like it."

As she spoke, the young woman checked the time on her phone, looking exhausted.

"I should... I should get back to the Big Donut. With Lars gone, I'll have to cover both of our shifts. I've been gone way longer than I planned to. I had only expected to go talk to his parents."

"Do you want us to walk with you?" Jenny asked, with Buck looking between the two.

"No, it's okay. I'll be fine. Eventually." Sadie sighed, pocketing her phone. "I'll catch up with you guys later."

Before she left, she hugged Jamie tightly, surprising him, but the mailman readily returned it.

"My mom and I will come over after we check on Lars' parents. Stay safe, okay?" She told him, giving him a tired smile when she stepped away before leaving, not giving Ronaldo a second glance.

The blogger looked appropriately guilty now, shoulders hunched. He did care, honestly. And while Jamie felt bad for getting as angry as he did with him, as none of this was his fault, what he said wasn't okay. Ronaldo hadn't meant to come off as inconsiderate or callous, but he really needed to consider his words more before he decided to say something, especially with a topic so delicate.

Tomorrow at the debate, Ronaldo would be there. It was the least he could do to show that all of this did matter to him. And that Lars' well being mattered to him, too. He wanted him back home just as much as everyone else did, he just tended to get too focused on one thing without looking at the bigger picture. But he'd change that.

Ronaldo's goodbye was awkward as he cut his lunch break short, waving weakly to everyone before leaving.

Jenny sighed, saying something to Buck who nodded silently. Still a man of few words.

"We're gonna go check in on Nanefua. Dad said I could get off work early for this. Kiki and I promised to help her practice for the debate tomorrow, and Buck wants to help. Will you be okay, sweetie?" Jenny asked Jamie, who blinked in surprise at having been addressed, mulling over all that had happened.

"What, me? Oh, yeah, I'll, I'll be fine." Jamie laughed slightly. And he believed that. He believed he would be fine. Getting all of the anger off his chest, that pent up frustration with everything, and the pressure that had been building in him from yesterday had really helped, like a weight had been lifted. He wished Ronaldo didn't have to be the one to be subjected to the outburst, but still.

Jenny hugged him as well, though he was a bit more prepared for it this time.

"Alright, boo. Be safe. And you be nice to him." Jenny said, pointing at Kevin who rolled his eyes in return.

When the pair were left alone in the restaurant, Kevin stayed silent for a few more moments before whistling like he was impressed. It was an attempt to break the still heavy tension, because it was suffocating him. He didn't like situations like this.

"Never seen you get that angry before, or blondie. How do you feel?"

"Uh... better." Jamie admitted shyly, feeling his cheeks burn. "I've never yelled at anyone like that before. I never lose my temper! Was I too harsh?"

"Hell no!" Kevin quickly told him. "If you weren't going to tell off that moron, I was. And I wouldn't have been so nice."

Jamie smiled slightly at him before looking at the table again.

"You already told off Mayor Dewey, I think you've lost your temper enough for today."

Kevin sneered, glaring at the wall. As much as he really, really didn't like that old bag Nanefua for what she'd said to him the day he'd met Jamie, even he was willing to give her a chance at being mayor if it meant that idiot Dewey stepped down.

Jamie took a deep breath and held it, sighing heavily a moment later. He was trying to ease his nerves again, with the adrenaline from his outburst still rushing through him.

And for the first time since the abduction, it worked.

Jamie had a lot of things on his mind right now. His kidnapping was still playing havoc on his thoughts, and letting out some anger wouldn't fix that entirely. But this debate seemed to be a sign of change - people weren't sitting idly by, they were reacting to what had happened.

While he wasn't fully okay yet, Jamie could feel himself starting to heal, if only slightly. He was an optimist, a dreamer, and a forward thinker. He would not let this event change him. He would move on, slowly, and get past it. The town would as a whole. He refused to let himself be bound by this tragedy, and swore to himself to keep his head up and his thoughts on the future.

A future which, hopefully soon, would involve him telling Kevin how he felt.


	6. Rehearse and Improv

The first big change Beach City experienced was its new mayor.

Jamie decided he wanted to be there for the debate, to see what Dewey would say in his defense and what solutions and rebuttals Nanefua would offer. Sadie would be taking her break from work to watch it as well. If Jamie wanted to attend, he'd need to finish his route early, though.

When Barbara brought over the food that night, she and Sadie both tried to convince him to stay home just one more day, but he'd held his ground on the stance. If Sadie was already back to work, then he should be too. He loved his job, and it would also provide a way to ask everyone around town how they were doing.

Kevin had been present when Barbara and Sadie came over - it had been by Kevin's own suggestion and insistence that he stay another night, just for Jamie's sake. He didn't want to leave him alone too soon before he was ready again.

The offer had been so heartening to Jamie, he almost didn't know what to say. Thankfully the kiss he'd given Kevin seemed to convey his thankfulness well enough.

That morning as he got ready for work, with his now newly sewn back together mailbag, complimentary from Barbara, he'd been careful not to wake Kevin, who'd passed out on the couch. It must have been so different than how he was used to sleeping, given his expensive tastes, but he hadn't complained, surprisingly. Though he had cheekily suggested they share Jamie's bed, which the young actor was quick to inform him would not be big enough, so to get the thought out of his head.

It hadn't stopped Kevin's pouting, though.

Still, Jamie had been overjoyed to have him stay over again, and he trusted leaving Kevin alone in his apartment as he prepared to leave, though not before checking on him one last time, making sure the quilt usually folded over the back of his couch was draped warmly over Kevin's sleeping frame and pressing a feather light kiss to his cheek.

The sun was shining brightly in the sky overhead, making the sea glitter like diamonds as Jamie began to make his way over to Steven's house for his first delivery. Down on the far end of the shore, Jamie could see the stage being set up for the debate later that afternoon. They had revamped the Beach-A-Palooza stage for the occasion, he noted.

At first, Jamie was fine. Nothing was wrong. But the nearer he became to Steven's house, with the stretch of white beach laid out before him like a winding path, the more aware he became of a deep sense of unease beginning to creep up his spine.

He pushed forward, ignoring the feeling as best he could, but it persisted. Until only a few minutes later he was frozen to the spot, completely unable to move.

Unknowingly, he'd begun to twist at the strap on his bag once more, and he became aware an acute tightness in his chest.

His breathing began to falter, coming out in shallow pants while his heart beat grew irregular. That sickly sense of nausea returned, as well as the unwelcomed lightheadedness, and a cold sweat began to trickle down his back despite the blistering heat of the sun.

He couldn't move forward, and the closest he'd come to progressing any closer to Steven's house was pacing anxiously. Too much, this was too much - he felt overwhelmed, like a wave had crashed over him.

He knew what this was; this was a panic attack, and he knew why he was having it as well.

This was exactly where he'd been taken.

No amount of convincing himself that he'd be fine, and that there was nothing to worry about was enough to make him move any farther.

He should have listened to Barbara, he shouldn't have started working today. Just Kevin mentioning walking along the beach the day prior had frightened him, why did he think he could handle himself now?

Jamie bit his lip nervously, forcing himself to stop wringing the strap of the mailbag should he tear its stitching. He wasn't one to give up, he didn't want to walk away from this. He needed to face his fear, he just...

He had an idea. He just hoped Kevin wouldn't be annoyed.

Jamie took out his phone, chewing on his thumbnail anxiously. He could text Kevin, that way he wouldn't hear his own voice shake, but Jamie needed to hear him. Before he could talk himself out of it, he dialed the familiar number, hugging his stomach as he waited for the other man to pick up.

When Kevin did finally answer, his voice was drowsy and he slurred slightly - Jamie would make it up to him for waking him later. Right now he couldn't afford to feel guilty as well.

"What's up?" Kevin yawned into the phone, rubbing his eyes as he sat up on the couch, stretching. It wasn't the most comfortable place to fall asleep.

"Hey. Are you, is it, is it okay to talk?"

The way Jamie's voice came out so tight and small, how it quivered; Kevin immediately could tell something was wrong, despite the cobwebs of sleep still clinging to his consciousness.

"You sound weird. You okay?" Kevin asked, frowning.

"Uh, not really, no." Jamie admitted. If he'd mustered up the courage to call Kevin, he wasn't going to bother lying about why. "I'm, I'm on my route and I'm kind of panicking a little because I'm where it happened. Just thinking about it is making me feel..."

"You want me to walk with you?" Kevin asked, already beginning to stand when Jamie responded.

"No, no you don't need to do that." Jamie rushed out, looking up and down the beach as he spoke.

"Could you..." Jamie sighed, his grip on the phone tightening as he spoke. "Could you just stay on the line with me? Please?"

Of course, he could do that.

"You got it, baby." Jamie actually laughed quietly at that.

"You really don't have an off switch, do you?" Jamie asked, starting to walk. He just wanted to concentrate on Kevin's voice; it was the perfect distraction.

The walk was brief, not even two minutes, but Kevin made sure to fill the short time with whatever Jamie wanted to hear, speaking louder to get his attention when he heard the mailman's voice fading as he tried not to look at the boulder Topaz had appeared from behind. Once or twice, Kevin had to say his name to bring his attention back.

But it had worked, with Jamie almost dropping the phone in surprise when he walked into the mailbox. There was no Steven waiting for him like usual, but Jamie had figured he wouldn't be there, since he'd told him he would be helping Dewey.

Jamie asked Kevin to hold on for just a short moment while he put the assigned mail into the container, noting the weight that had lifted off of his shoulders. He didn't have to walk back the same way, he could go forward. True, it would take longer, but he would make sure that every other delivery that day made up for it. He'd faced his fear once today, that was enough.

"You sure you don't want me to walk with you? Not like I'm doing anything here." Kevin reminded Jamie, resting his feet on the coffee table.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Jamie promised. "You could just watch one of my movies if you're bored."

"I am not watching one of those alone!" He heard Kevin say on the other end, making the mailman snicker slightly as he started walking along the opposite end of the beach.

"Maybe that's a good thing. I'm kind of particular about how they're kept, and I wouldn't want you fiddling with them."

Jamie didn't trust the pause that followed on Kevin's end.

"So you're saying you'd get mad if I went and messed them all up?" He could hear the devious grin in his voice.

"Don't you dare!" Jamie warned. "Those are alphabetized!"

"Well, since I've got nothing better to do..."

"Fine, you can walk with me!" If he hadn't said anything, he knew Kevin wouldn't have threatened to disorganize his movies. It was an excuse so that he could join him, he knew that, and he thought it was sweet.

But he was also worried about his beloved movies.

"I'll see you in a bit then." Kevin told him, and Jamie could swear he heard him wink over the phone.

(-)

It hadn't taken Kevin long to get ready, and he'd found Jamie in no time.

It was satisfying to look for him along his route this time around and actually find him. And by riding in Kevin's car, Jamie finished his work in no time. Which is exactly what he'd been hoping for, as he could see a group had gathered around the stage. The debate would be starting soon.

"Ah, could I ask a small favor?" Jamie questioned, turning his attention from looking out of the window to Kevin, who nodded.

"Anything for you, cutie." He told him, flashing a grin that Jamie rolled his eyes at.

"Could you take my mailbag back to the post office? Usually I take it home, but I kind of... tore a few of the stitches earlier." Jamie admitted, embarrassed. He hadn't stopped himself fast enough before on the beach when he'd begun to twist the strap, only seeing the damage later on in the day.

"Barbara can sew it back up again. The debate is about to start, and..."

Kevin knew it was important to Jamie to see it first hand. After the hell he'd been through, Kevin couldn't blame him for wanting to see the chance of Dewey being forced to step down. Kevin wanted to see it too, but at the same time, he'd probably start to cause a scene should Dewey say anything that he didn't agree with.

"Fine, I'll be your errand boy." Kevin said, though Jamie could tell by his tone he didn't mind at all.

Jamie thanked him with a smile and a quick kiss, which Kevin tried to draw out for as long as the mailman would allow before he forced himself to get out of the car.

As Jamie approached the stage, he kept to the back of the crowd, spotting Steven and Dewey to one side talking in hushed voices, while Jenny and Kiki, along with Kofi, seemed to be wishing Nanefua luck. He could see Sadie, Onion, and both of Lars' parents in the crowd.

At least Onion seemed to be doing okay.

The crowd around Jamie began to chant, all excited for the speech, but they quieted down when the curtains opened up.

Exhaustion wore heavy on Dewey's face as he took to the podium, unsavory bags hanging under his bloodshot eyes. Had he gotten any sleep last night?

Nanefua was the embodiment of confidence, regarding her opponent with a cold side-eyed stare.

Dewey started the debate, and his intro - voice crack and all - wasn't pretty.

"When aliens steal people, it's the mayor's fault!"

Jamie could feel himself tense at that, casting a brief glance over to Sadie and the Barrigas. Sadie looked just as unimpressed with Dewey's attempt at defending himself as the previous day. And the Barrigas still looked downright furious, with Martha ready with another tomato to throw at the mayor should he, in her opinion, step out of line.

And Ronaldo was there as well, but he was just texting. Or blogging, either was believable.

Jamie turned his attention back to the mayor, who seemed to have rambled somewhat, before ending his opening statement.

"Just enjoy our wonderful ocean breeze and don't worry about a thing! Let Dewey do it for you!"

There was a quiet murmur throughout the small crowd, though judging by Sadie's expression, whatever she was muttering to herself wasn't kind. There was some scattered clapping as well, none of which came from the Barrigas, but...

Jamie couldn't bring himself to join in.

How could the mayor still seem so passive about the entire situation? The effects of the abductions were still heavy on the town - on Jamie himself - and yes, as time passed, the scars would fade. But as of now, the wound was still fresh, and more painful to others. Dewey may as well have been trying to offer the advice of healing a broken bone with a band aid.

Dewey wanted the best for the town, he really did; Jamie knew as much. He just had no idea how to provide that sense of mind and stability for his people.

There was a clear shift in the attitude of the audience when Nanefua began to speak, and her words immediately caught the mailman's attention.

"I have blamed you for too many things and that is not helping." She spoke quietly.

A louder swell of talking began among the surveyors, and Jamie was compelled to lend his voice and opinion to the hum.

He agreed, completely. She had his full support. For as upset with Dewey as he was over his imprudent and insensitive speech the day prior, regarding his attitude towards the kidnappings, Lars, and their own incident afterwards, it really wasn't right to hold Dewey accountable for their abductions. They had every right to be angry for how Dewey handled himself and the news after, but to unload their hatred onto him for something he couldn't have prevented in the first place was a misplacement of their fury.

As Nanefua continued her rallying speech, stating that she would no longer be one for finger pointing, and instead of heaping the blame onto one man, leaving them a town divided by animosity towards the mayor, they would unite and share responsibility for one another's well being and safety.

Just as they'd done when looking for the abducted humans.

This time, the crowd's reaction was unanimous - an uproarious applause, with cheers ringing out. It made Jamie swell with pride that Nanefua was looking at the situation in such a way, and he couldn't help but smile to himself. This time when he chanced a look to his left, he saw agreement in Sadie's eyes, and Martha and Dante's expressions had softened, though tears now welled up in their own eyes as they nodded to her words. Even Ronaldo was smiling.

He was still on his phone though.

Jamie couldn't help the excitement he felt as he waited for Dewey's rebuttal - Nanefua's speech of citizen empowerment would be a tough act to follow for sure.

Dewey would really have to... wait, he was dropping out?

"What?"

Jamie stared in bewilderment while the yells of joy from the crowd grew around him.

Dewey had just... _Wow_. That was unexpectedly... big of him. Jamie knew Dewey loved being mayor, so to see him pass off the position with no resistance when he recognized that Nanefua _would_ be a better leader than him, and throwing away the tradition of his family name being tied to the position of mayor, all those generations; it was inspiring.

And once that initial disbelief faded, Jamie felt his small smile split into a wide grin, his voice joining everyone else's as they cheered for Nanefua.

Jamie made sure to hang back while the audience began to disperse, only walking forward once the Barrigas had thanked Nanefua and Kofi had dragged his twin daughters off to celebrate, leaving Nanefua by herself.

The small elderly woman was still beaming with joy after her successful debate, and that only increased when she saw the mailman approach.

"Jamie, it's good to see you out again. Did Barbara bring over the dish I gave her for you? She said she was visiting you later."

"Yes she did, thank you, Nanefua." Jamie smiled. Since Barbara had handled his route yesterday, she'd gotten to deliver to the Pizzas. Barbara had told him later when she arrived at his apartment that the old woman had been adamant that she bring her dish for him; comfort food, she called it.

"No thanking, you deserved it." Nanefua told him pointedly. "That, and you're still far too thin."

Jamie couldn't help but laugh at that - even if she was now mayor, some things never changed.

"I'll take your word for it." He chuckled, adjusting his hat.

"Good. No more getting out of it when I offer something when you deliver mail, then!" Nanefua insisted. A part of Jamie still wanted to protest, as he always had, believing he wasn't worth the trouble of preparing something for. But he stopped himself, smiling instead and agreeing.

"I'd like that, actually, Nanefua. Oh, I'm sorry. _Mayor_ Nanefua."

The elderly woman chuckled at the emphasis, in turn making the young actor smile widely.

"You don't need to call me that." She told him, making a waving motion with her hand.

"I'll keep that in mind." Jamie replied. "I just wanted to tell you congratulations on winning the debate! And..."

Jamie knelt down to Nanefua's level, hugging her carefully, but warmly, earning a surprised, 'Oh!', from the small woman.

"I think you'll do great things for Beach City."

Nanefua laughed kindly, returning his hug and patting his back as she did.

"Why thank you, Jamie. You're such a nice young man."

Jamie leaned back and stood, tipping his hat back and flashing a toothy smile when he spoke again.

"And don't forget, I'll be your number one volunteer for anything you need done!"

Nanefua chuckled at the display, saying she looked forward to working with him before gesturing behind Jamie.

"That rude boy is back!"

Oh, she must have been talking about Kevin. Sure enough, when Jamie turned around, he saw Kevin leaning against his car nonchalantly, watching the pair talking.

"He's got a bit of an attitude." Jamie agreed with a slight snicker, waving to Kevin to let him know he'd be right over. "But he's not as bad as you think. I need to go talk to him, but I'll talk to you again soon, Nanefua!"

The elderly woman waved to Jamie as he jogged back up to Kevin, letting out a heavy sigh. She didn't know what Jamie saw in that boy.

"Well, William Dewey is no longer the mayor of Beach City." Jamie told Kevin, hoping the excitement in his voice didn't seem rude towards their former mayor. Kevin looked conflicted on the news.

On the one hand, that lazy moron who'd done nothing while the rest of the town had busted their asses during the crisis was out of power, and that was great news. On the other hand, now the nasty old woman was taking over. Still, lesser of two evils in Kevin's book.

"Great." Kevin drawled, making a gesture with his hands. "Maybe she won't be as stupid as the last."

"You could go congratulate her." Jamie suggested, looping his arms around Kevin's waist while he leaned against his chest. "Start getting on good terms with her."

"Yeah, that ain't happening." Kevin told Jamie with a smirk before he kissed him.

Baby steps, then. Still, this news was huge to Jamie.

He saw today as a sign of more and greater changes to come.

(-)

"Connie?"

Jamie stopped short on his walk to Steven's house. He still got uneasy, but it had been about a week since he'd started working again, and he was slowly getting comfortable with his routine once more. Kevin had walked with him for a few days after, but something had come up today, leaving Jamie to walk his route alone, but he was fine with it.

Seeing Connie was a pleasant surprise, however. Though she didn't seem to see or hear him, keeping her head low while she hugged her arms.

"Connie!" Jamie called a bit louder, finally catching the young girl's attention. She lifted her head slowly, a forlorn expression on her face. When she saw the mailman, though, her eyes lit up.

"Jamie!" She called, running over and hugging the man tightly around the waist, earning a laugh from Jamie.

"I missed you!" Connie said, looking up at the young adult. "I haven't seen you since, well..."

"Yeah." Jamie understood what she was getting at, and smiled at her. "You got a haircut! It looks really cute on you, quite fetching!"

"Oh, thank you." Connie giggled, brushing back her shorter hair. It suited her, the actor thought. "How've you been?"

"I'm doing better." Jamie replied truthfully, beaming as he said it. He was, though the odd dark thought did hit him every now and then.

"That's good." Connie replied absentmindedly, casting a glance over her shoulder towards Steven's house. She sounded distant when she spoke, with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Are you okay?" Jamie asked gently, making the young girl blink at him. "After the whole..."

"Oh! No, I'm used to Gem stuff." Connie assured him, earning a sad smile from the mailman. He was glad she wasn't distraught over what had happened, but still, it was a shame that this was something she'd gotten used to in the first place. She was just a kid, after all. It wasn't fair that she and Steven had to deal with this kind of danger and trauma. They truly were brave.

"Then is something else bothering you?" Jamie asked her, still being cautious. He wasn't used to seeing the usually cheerful girl looking so gloomy.

"I guess I don't feel like talking about it." Connie sighed, rubbing her arm shyly. "Sorry."

"You don't need to apologize." Jamie was quick to assure her, making Connie look at him earnestly. "Whatever it is, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But, I know it will work itself out."

"You really think so?" Connie asked, expression hopeful. Jamie smiled, heart warming at the expectation in her eyes.

"Absolutely!" Jamie told her, removing his hat and bowing low before her while placing a hand to his chest. "You have the word of an actor that all your troubles will be resolved soon!"

He grinned when he heard Connie laugh, placing the hat back on his head. It was always nice to make kids laugh, especially when they really looked like they needed it.

"Thanks, Jamie." Connie said, shooting one more nervous glance to Steven's house. Why did she keep looking towards it?

She sighed, closing her eyes a moment before glancing at her phone briefly. She smiled at the mailman regardless of her worry, turning away to leave.

Something stopped her, and she turned to look at Jamie, this time suspicion in her eyes.

"Hey... can I ask you something real quick?"

"Sure, or course." Jamie told her, adjusting his now re-repaired mailbag.

"Steven mentioned something to me a few weeks back, and I haven't seen you since we talked about it, but... you were at the Fall Festival, right?"

"I was." Jamie nodded. God, that seemed like so long ago now. "I don't think I saw you there, though."

"I was sick." Connie admitted sheepishly before continuing. "Were you... on a date? With this guy named Kevin?"

Jamie recalled Steven's reaction to hearing about who he'd come to the festival with, and felt a touch of embarrassment from the look she gave him.

"Uh, yes. Why do you ask?" He watched her expression drop from suspicion to shock, even a touch disgusted, but seeing the hurt look on the mailman's face, she quickly covered it up.

"Oh, no reason!" She offered him a nervous grin, seriously reminding him of Steven from that day now.

He didn't get the chance to ask for clarification as to why she asked as she went to leave, waving to him and wishing him a good day before running back down the beach, around the cliff face and out of sight.

Jamie waved at her retreating form, smiling unsurely after her before continuing his way to Steven's mailbox. He turned to leave after putting the mail in it, casting a glance up at Steven's house. Was Steven... okay? That was the only reason Jamie could think of for Connie's worried looks back towards the temple. Maybe he should go check on the boy himself to see if he was alright.

Jamie took the steps up to the temple carefully, preparing to knock until he noticed a note on the door, which simply read, 'Gone vacationing'.

Oh, so Steven and the Gems were away on a trip? Now that Jamie thought about it, he didn't see the car wash open today, so Greg had most likely gone, too. Well, good for them! Honestly, if anyone in Beach City needed a vacation, it was Steven. Jamie was happy the boy was getting a chance to relax after all that had happened. And his absence would also explain why Connie was upset, at least partially.

It still didn't explain it away entirely.

And although it wasn't Jamie's business, and he didn't ask, Steven did explain to him what happened when he came back, when Jamie had to deliver a large amount of gardening supplies.

"So, you had a fight." Jamie clarified. Steven nodded, looking a bit sad when he replied, but with a noticeable twinge of hope in his voice.

"Yeah, but I think things will be okay... I miss talking to her, but I just hope she's happy. If she's happy, then I'm happy!" Jamie felt himself swooning over Steven's affection for his friend, and how much her own well being meant to him. It was beyond adorable, and the mailman truly did hope the two could work something out. He missed seeing the pair together, honestly.

"So, does any of that have to do with your new gardening supplies?" Jamie asked with a chuckle.

"Oh, right!" Steven laughed, helping to take the boxes of seeds Jamie gave him, as well as the potted plants. Jamie had needed to use his over the shoulder bag today just for Steven's order. "This isn't for me, it's for Peridot! When we tried growing in the Kindergarten, it didn't really hold up all that well, so we kind of wasted all the stuff we had left from when Lapis took the barn."

"Oh, that's too... wait, come again?" Jamie asked, blinking. "Is Peridot living with you now? And what do you mean Lapis took the barn?"

Right, Steven had failed to mention that.

"Yeah, Peridot has been living with us for a few days now. At first she was really depressed, and then she got mad when the Kindergarten garden was a bust, but now she's all excited again!" Steven said. "Lapis kind of... left Earth again. And she took the barn with her, and Peridot had nowhere to go. So she's with us again!"

"Wait, so she took the _whole_ barn?"

That was... impressive. And also vaguely terrifying.

Sometimes Jamie forgot just how powerful Lapis was. She'd stolen the entire ocean once, after all.

"Guess the festival won't be held there next year, huh?" Steven asked, laughing nervously. "She didn't take everything, though. She left Pumpkin!"

Jamie helped Steven unload the rest of his mail sack, exhaling loudly from all the exertion.

"I think that's everything." Jamie stated with a satisfied nod. "I hope your Gem friend enjoys herself!"

"Oh, wait right here! I should go get Peridot!" Steven told Jamie, eyes shining with excitement before he took off running up the steps to the temple again. He seemed to be in brighter spirits since last the mailman saw him, anyways.

Moments later, he heard the temple door creak back open, followed by the sound of barking as an orange blur zipped down to greet Jamie, making the mailman laugh as it circled his legs. Not long after, he saw the titular green Gem following Steven down to the mailbox. Jamie had exchanged very few words with Peridot. She wasn't always... polite.

"Ah, yes." She began, holding her chin while surveying everything around her, "These are excellent! I guess it wasn't a bad idea to let you and Amethyst pick out some flowers to plant after all."

They'd decided to branch out from just sunflowers - they had lilies, roses of every color, pansies and, as requested by Amethyst, hydrangeas. Jamie found them all to be dazzling - if they were willing to part with any after their garden was established, he'd love to have some.

"These new gardening supplies will prove most sufficient." Peridot stated boldly, pride seeping into her voice as she lifted her chin into the air. "With Steven and Amethyst's assistance, and my natural gift for cultivation, we will have an even better garden soon enough, more efficient than the last."

"I guess you could say that you've got a green thumb!" Jamie told her, laughing slightly. He was met with a confused stare by the smaller Gem.

"All of me is green." Peridot replied flatly. "Why does everyone keep reminding me of that?"

"No, no, it's a figure of... you know what, never mind." Jamie responded, shaking his head and waving his hand with a smile. "Good luck with your gardening!"

"Luck has nothing to do with it." Peridot replied matter-of-factly. "The art of farming is one based purely off of skill... But, thank you."

Jamie began to walk away from the temple as Peridot began to transport the plants to underneath the porch. The crunch of sand behind him caught his attention, and he turned to see Steven running up to him.

"Hey, Jamie! Wait up!" Steven called, waving for the mailman to stop.

"Something wrong?" Jamie asked, shifting the now empty sack over his other shoulder.

"Uh, I don't think so." Steven started slowly, looking a tad apprehensive about what he was going to say. "Could I, uh, talk to you about something?"

He recognized the look in Steven's eye - he'd seen it before, in him and now in Connie.

"It's about Kevin, isn't it?"

Steven looked caught off guard when he heard that, looking away shyly while his shoulders hunched.

"How'd you know?"

"Lucky guess." Jamie smiled, noting the embarrassment in Steven's face. "You don't like him very much, do you?"

Steven offered a sheepish smile, thankful that Jamie didn't seem mad with him so far.

"Not really, no. It's just... he's such a jerk!" Steven blurted out before looking at Jamie to check he wasn't annoyed yet.

"He can be a bit abrasive." Jamie agreed, shrugging while smiling softly, more to himself than to Steven. "But he can also be very kind. And funny. And considerate."

"Are you sure we're talking about the same Kevin?" Steven asked, making the thespian laugh.

"I'm pretty sure." Jamie chuckled, making Steven sigh.

He just couldn't see it - how did one of the nicest, friendliest people in Beach City end up with such a creep like Kevin? Steven had promised never to meddle in Jamie's love life again after everything he'd tried to do with Garnet had backfired so horribly, and Jamie had gotten hurt. He liked Jamie, he was one of his friends. He was just worried about him. But then again...

"Kevin... got really mad at Dewey the other day." Steven recalled. "When he got your name wrong. I didn't know he'd been looking for you. I didn't think Kevin cared about anyone besides himself. Or his car."

Jamie snickered at the last part, shrugging.

"He's not a bad guy, Steven. Whatever happened between you two, maybe it was just a bad first impression. You should give him a second chance." After he spoke, Jamie checked the time on his phone, and Steven could tell by the look of alarm on his face that he had to be behind schedule, waving goodbye frantically as he ran back to the boardwalk, not giving a second though to how he'd been abducted as he ran past the boulder.

Steven waved after him and sighed, frowning. He didn't _want_ to give Kevin a second chance, he was mean! But Jamie had looked so happy talking about him, and Kevin had seemed to genuinely care about the mailman when he was yelling at Dewey.

He would _consider_ giving Kevin a second chance, maybe. Because if Jamie liked him, there had to be some part of him that wasn't all bad, right?

(-)

Jamie had been making good time on his route that day, actually getting ahead of schedule. His hard work afforded him the time to be able to relax and watch the ocean as he leaned against a lamp post, the horizon reflected in his eyes while he was lost in thought. The comforting salty scent of the ocean filling his lungs as he breathed in deeply, and the lulling sound of waves lapping the shore easing his mind.

It was just shy of being two weeks since the abduction happened, and the town had adapted. Often with tragedies, it would feel as though time stood still, and you'd wish that it would, because you're not ready for the days to continue, you're not ready to move on. And it feels like nature is being cruel to you for forcing you to face that it wouldn't wait for you. You'd either be left behind to wallow in your own misery, or you could move forward to, marching towards the future with your head held high and optimism in your thoughts.

So many people had been affected by what had happened, but they weren't letting it hold them back.

Beach City, and it's citizens, were changing. In small ways, and in huge ones. It was honestly incredible to witness.

Generations of tradition were broken when Nanefua became Mayor, and the future she had planned for them, and the changes she planned to implement herself were already having an impact on the mood of the citizens, uniting them.

Peridot had refocused her attention, saving herself from getting caught up in a depression, and instead found new purpose in her gardening. She was able to harness those negative emotions and transform them into determination, giving the small Gem a new energy. And from her hard work, something beautiful was being created.

When Jamie delivered to the former mayor's house, Buck had been the one to answer the door - a rarity. Buck wasn't much of a talker, but they had a pleasant conversation, which lead to Jamie learning that Steven, Buck himself, Jenny, Sour Cream and even Sadie had formed a band of sorts. Buck invited Jamie to attend their next show, promising that it would be a fun time. And instead of declining the invitation like he would have a month prior, Jamie accepted it. Maybe Kevin would like to go, that would be a fun date.

Sadie had quit her dead end job she hated, and new life had been breathed into her when she joined the cool kids and Steven's band. Jamie couldn't recall the last time he'd seen Sadie with so much energy. She had stopped tormenting herself over Lars' situation, and was finally letting herself live her life again. And she truly deserved it.

Connie had taken a small step with her new hairstyle. It wasn't much, but a fresh new look could be motivating. And he hoped it would lend her the confidence to make a stronger effort to reach out to Steven. The ripple in their friendship was heartbreaking.

Steven himself seemed more distraught over the fracture in his and Connie's bond, but even he had let himself have fun. Jamie remembered how Steven's eyes lit up when he mentioned him being in the band after he'd spoken to Buck, or how excited he was for Peridot to be gardening, or Sadie finally leaving her job at the Big Donut.

Just earlier, while putting up the missing flyers for Lion - which Jamie insisted on helping him with - he'd even mentioned how Lars' parents were slowly accepting what had happened, and had asked Steven to deliver a box full of things to Lars when he found his lion again. Things to remind Lars of them, and to remind him of home. To let him know how much they loved and missed him, and were thinking of him.

Beach City has stumbled the day after the abductions, but it hadn't fallen. And together, they were healing.

Jamie himself had taken huge strides in not necessarily getting over what had happened, but learning to live with it, and forcing himself to accept how things had happened, and not what nearly occurred. He decided to focus on the positives of the situation - he was alive, and he was safe, and since what had happened, he and Kevin had grown even closer.

There'd been moments of that shadow of soul and mind falling over Jamie, of course. And directly after the abduction they had been impossibly frequent. But people had been there for him - Barbara, Sadie, Jenny, Sour Cream and Buck. Steven, and above everyone else, Kevin.

And as the days passed, and Jamie got to witness first hand as the townspeople prospered and adapted to what had happened, the events of that day began to invade his mind less and less. Now, it would come in fleeting thoughts that would be pushed right back out again.

He was in a place where he was back to his old self again, the bounce returning to his step and the glimmer to his eyes. Not even walking to Steven's house fazed him anymore.

It felt good, being his usual self once more. He was never one for pessimism; it didn't look good on him. Although he _may_ have been prone to overreactions.

All of this, though, the town's growth and his own personal healing did remind him of something. A promise he'd made to himself.

A promise that when he was feeling better, and when that cloud that had been hanging over him finally faded, he would confront Kevin about his feelings for him and ask that they be boyfriends.

The thought had been on his mind fairly consistently ever since Kevin had stayed over the first night, and he'd been giving it more and more consideration. He'd found excuses for why certain days wouldn't be a good time to talk to Kevin about it, and kept procrastinating.

But something finally seemed to give in him, and he'd put his foot down. He was going to talk to Kevin about it. All of it. He couldn't let himself keep postponing this to the point of where he'd lose his nerve, and be stuck wondering 'what if' for the rest of his life.

He was doing this. No doubt about it.

Only problem was he just didn't know when.

He didn't want to just blurt it out while they were at his apartment, or while they were walking around. He wanted it to be at least somewhat special, something they could remember, should Kevin reciprocate his feelings and say 'yes'. But where and when would be a good time?

He needed a chance, an occasion, an opening. He needed an opportunity. He needed-

"Hey, cutie." The purr in his voice, as well as the hands that found his waist brought Jamie's thoughts to a dead stop, the concentration he'd had now replaced with thrilling excitement.

"Kevin!" Jamie laughed, spinning around and throwing his arms around the other man's neck, pulling him in for a kiss.

Kevin chuckled himself, letting Jamie pull him in. The aspiring actor had been in a much better mood lately - his outlook and personality seemed to have brightened considerably since the abduction.

It was a slow going process, but little by little, one stepping stone at a time, Jamie had braved his fears and surpassed his anxiety. He had not let himself be beaten by this.

It was nice, seeing Jamie happy again and back to his old self. Kevin had come to adore that spark in him, and he'd missed it.

"Oh! Did you hear about the Big Donut?" Jamie asked as their lips parted, eyes wide with curiosity as he searched Kevin's face for any hint of recognition in what he was saying.

"No, but I have the funny feeling you're about to tell me." Kevin smirked, angling his head to watch the other man.

"It's Sadie, she quit! I can't believe she quit!" Jamie exclaimed. She'd worked at the Big Donut for as long as he'd been a mailman. He knew she never cared for the job, but she had enjoyed Lars' company. Without him though, the monotonous work, as well as the added stress of having to handle the work that Lars usually did, seemed to be enough to drive her to finally leave. He was happy for her, ecstatic!

"Who is that again?" Kevin asked, causing the mailman to roll his eyes.

"She worked at the Big Donut. She's Barb's daughter, she was at my apartment for dinner last week. She's the one who chewed Ronaldo out the other day."

"Oh yeah, blondie." Kevin recalled. He paused a moment before snickering, making Jamie raise an eyebrow at him.

"What's so funny?"

"Well, since no one's working at the place, maybe our old idiot mayor will get a job there." Kevin grinned.

"That... would actually be really fitting." Jamie realized with a slight laugh. It would give Dewey a newfound respect for the job; the job of the boy he didn't know had gone missing. Dewey had said he'd find a replacement, after all, and he was freshly unemployed. But, time would tell.

"Maybe you should get a job there." Jamie joked, giggling at the offended glare he received from the other man.

"Yeah right! Over my dead-" Kevin stopped himself short, suddenly growing tense as he looked over at Jamie nervously. To his surprise, he saw Jamie smiling at him, understanding in his gaze.

"You can say the word. It doesn't bother me anymore." He told him calmly, his own heart warming at the way he saw Kevin relax at hearing that. The other man had made a conscious effort to watch what he said around him ever since he'd slipped up when he'd lost his temper at Dewey, and it didn't go unnoticed by Jamie. He valued Kevin's attention to reactions, and was grateful for his attentiveness, especially since he knew Kevin to be the type to say the first thing that came to his mind without much thought.

Still, time had passed, and like the town, he'd moved on. He was finally in a place where he was okay again.

"Well, in that case," Kevin started, pulling Jamie close to his chest and pressing a kiss to his neck before grinning wickedly, "you're drop dead gorgeous."

Jamie laughed, heat rushing into his cheeks, even more so when he snorted at the public display of affection.

"Anyways," Kevin began, letting go of Jamie so he could readjust his uniform as he listened to him, "I've got a proposition for you. I'm throwing a party at my place this Saturday. Important people only, RSVP required."

"Sounds fancy." Jamie noted, watching Kevin as he removed his hat, brushing his fingers through his hair briefly.

"Only the best for me." Kevin told him before punctuating his statement with a snap of his fingers, pointing at Jamie with a wink. "And I want you to be there."

"Really?" Jamie felt a spark of excitement at hearing that before giving Kevin a cheeky smile. "What, I don't have to reserve my place on your list or something?"

"Pssh, no way. I'll make an exception for you." Kevin told him, smirking widely at him before cupping Jamie's cheek, tilting his face up at him. "You can be my plus one."

"P-plus one?" Jamie prayed that Kevin couldn't hear his heartbeat, which fluttered in his chest like a frightened bird.

"Of course." Kevin smiled. "You get special treatment. So, waddaya say? You in?"

Before meeting Kevin, the prospect of being invited to a party was enough to make Jamie uncomfortable, let alone actually attending one. But he'd since shed off any qualms he had about these kinds of outings, ever since going with Kevin to the rave. Not to mention any anxiety over attending something as harmless as a party was now laughable when compared to what he'd now faced. Instead of apprehension, the thought of going to a party, especially one thrown by Kevin, filled him with excitement.

It would be nice, if would be fun! A party would be... wait, that's it!

"A party, that's perfect!" Jamie exclaimed suddenly, jumping unexpectedly and clapping his hands, his eyes shining brightly like spotlights.

A party was the opportune scenario for Jamie to tell Kevin how he felt, and to ask him to about being an official couple. The atmosphere would be upbeat and lively, people would be chatting casually, it was exactly the chance Jamie had been waiting for.

Kevin seemed a bit confused by the reaction, but took it as a positive one.

"So is that a yes?" Kevin asked. Not like anyone ever turned down an invitation to one of his parties.

"Absolutely, one hundred percent!" Jamie told him, barely able to keep the grin off of his face while he kept his hat clasped in his hands, trying to use it to hide his elated expression.

The other man seemed to find the reaction cute, chuckling quietly while shaking his head. Jamie was something else.

"Excellent. Now that I've got Steven going, everything should be perfect."

"Steven?" That actually caught the young actor by surprise as he lowered his hat from his face so he could be heard more clearly. "You invited Steven? I thought you two didn't like each other?"

Kevin rolled his eyes at that, waving his hand at the comment before placing it against his chest, gesturing with the other as he spoke.

"I didn't invite _Steven,_ I invited _Stevonnie_. I just needed to invite the two kids to make it happen."

"You invited Steven and Connie so they'll fuse?" Jamie asked, wanting clarification.

"Yeah, that way it'll be a party that everyone will remember years to come. I've gotta be seen with them; Stevonnie is the only person that's ever been cooler than me. Trust me, they'll be there." Kevin replied smugly, though he took note of the odd look Jamie was giving him. "What, you don't think it'll work?"

"No, I mean, hm." Jamie hummed to himself. Last he'd talked to Steven, he and Connie had still been really frigid with one another, but maybe a party would be the kind of environment they needed to relax enough to try and discuss things. And while Kevin's intentions may have not been the best, Jamie could see this as a chance for them to fix their friendship. And he knew Stevonnie was a representation of their bond, so maybe this was a good idea. Not to mention he would like for Kevin to try and smooth things over with Steven. He had no idea why there was such animosity between the two, but he was sure it could be worked on as well.

Maybe the party on Saturday night would be how everyone bridged those gaps; Steven and Connie getting over their fight, Kevin and Steven making amends and he and Kevin actually putting a name to whatever they had.

"I would say it's admirably audacious!"

Kevin stared at him, brow furrowing slightly.

"I think it's a good idea." Jamie restated, smiling.

"I know, I'm full of good ideas." Kevin replied arrogantly, earning a chuckle from Jamie who tucked his hat away into his mail mag. There were enough clouds out that he didn't think he'd have to worry about the sun right then.

As Jamie did so, Kevin remained quiet for a long moment, opening his mouth for a second, hesitating before finally speaking up.

"Hey, did you know his name was Steven?'"

There was a long pause, neither saying anything while Jamie halted his movements before slowly closing his mailbag and carefully turning towards Kevin, a look of pure disbelief on his face as his eyebrows rose.

"Yes. Of course. Wait." Jamie closed his eyes, shaking his head slightly as he held his hands up, trying to grasp the question. "What did you think his name was?"

He could see the slow bloom of rose red blush in Kevin's cheeks as he folded his arms, trying to shrug it off.

"I thought it was Clarence."

Jamie was aware that his mouth was hanging open and quickly rectified it, clenching his jaw. But it proved fruitless, because a moment later Kevin could hear him snickering behind his hand before he burst out laughing, nearly doubling over.

"We've talked about him! You've heard his name! Where did you get Clarence from?!"

"I don't know, man!" Kevin yelled, throwing his hands into the air incredulously. Okay, so maybe he was bad with names. It was because he often didn't care enough about the people he met to bother remembering who they were. He seemed to have the opposite problem with Jamie, however; being determined to make sure others remembered who he was.

Jamie struggled to catch his breath, leaning on a lamp post for support while he held his sides. This was the most he'd laughed in a long time, probably since learning about 'Kevin time', and God did he need this laugh. This was the most hilarious thing he'd heard in a while.

"You're such a goof!" Jamie wheezed, snorting unapologetically. Kevin groaned while Jamie laughed, holding his head.

"That's it, you're uninvited." Kevin told him, beginning to walk away. Jamie caught up easily, still giggling unabashedly while he grabbed Kevin's arm, linking their hands as he laced their fingers together and looked up at him, still grinning.

"No, no, I'll stop, I swear." He chuckled, clearing his throat as the last of his amusement left and he smiled earnestly at Kevin, even going so far as to bat his eyelashes at him. "Please let me come."

Jamie seemed to have an effect on Kevin that he was completely unaware of. That, or the mailman was just very good at acting like he didn't know how he made the other man's heart begin to patter irregularly just from a look.

"Fine, fine. I guess I can let you come." Kevin replied nonchalantly, hiding his own internal reaction well. Instead, he smiled at Jamie, leaning in closer while his eyelids fell halfway.

"It wouldn't be a party without you, baby."

Jamie shuddered at the silkiness in his voice, aware of the heat creeping into his cheeks. Any more smitten and there would be hearts in his eyes, he was sure of it. There may as well have been with how he was looking at Kevin.

"So, I can expect to see you at my place Saturday night then? We can dance the night away, and you can let your body talk." Kevin purred, his gaze unrelenting. It was trapping Jamie, like he'd been hypnotized. Over a month of dating and Kevin could still make him unravel like a ball of yarn.

"I'll, I'll be there." Jamie promised, swallowing thickly. That seemed to be all the other man wanted to hear.

"See you there, Jamie baby." Kevin grinned, leading Jamie into a kiss by his chin.

It was soft and lingering, and Jamie felt the fluttering in his chest only grow more fevered as Kevin dragged it out. As Kevin held his chin, he traced his thumb over it in a gentle caress before forcing himself to part. As much as he'd love to spend the day on the boardwalk kissing him, he needed to start preparing for the party that weekend.

Jamie let out a shuddering breath when Kevin pulled away, eyelids lazily drifting back open as he watched Kevin begin to walk away. It took an embarrassing few moments to compose himself, turning on his heel sharply until his back was to Kevin's retreating from.

Kevin could make him melt in his hands so effortlessly, even after he'd grown so accustomed to his flirtations. Ever since Jamie had accepted his feelings for him, he just seemed to be that bit more affected by everything Kevin did, and found it all that much more charming.

Jamie bit his lip, casting a glance over his shoulder at Kevin, who was now nearing his car. Unexpectedly, a surge of confidence flowed into him, and a sly smile found its way onto Jamie's face.

Kevin heard the footsteps behind him, but before he could turn around, he felt his hand grabbed and was yanked backwards unexpectedly, letting out a brief cry of alarm.

The world around him became a blur of colors as he was spun around, nearly losing his balance before he felt hands secure themselves around him and dip him down dramatically, legs going rigid as boards.

Kevin stared up in shock, cheeks flushing and breath catching at the sight of Jamie staring down at him, half mast eyes glowing like embers while he grinned down at the other man.

Before Kevin could utter a single sound, Jamie leaned down, kissing him with an unrestrained, intense, fiery passion. If Kevin hadn't been left speechless before, he certainly was now.

Jamie leaned into the kiss more, the action causing Kevin to let out a soft wavering sigh as his eyelids slipped shut, his stiff legs going lax and useless. He could hear his heartbeat pounding in his ears as his entire body was rushed with heat. This could have been a scene straight out of one of Jamie's romance movies.

When Kevin's thoughts finally seemed to catch up with him and he began to reach to hold onto Jamie, the other man pulled back, ending the kiss and leaving Kevin completely breathless while he gawked up at him, his face a deep shade of red and his chest heaving.

Jamie smirked at him, pulling Kevin up just enough so that he could focus on nothing else around them; just him.

His voice was as smooth as velvet when he spoke, low and husky, something Kevin had never heard from the young actor before, and it made his heart skip a beat.

"See you there, Kevin honey."

(-)

Jamie only had less than half a week to prepare for what he'd say to Kevin on Saturday, and he'd been driving himself crazy over it, as well as what he'd wear, and if he should bring anything.

He'd strongly considered buying flowers to bring, but that didn't seem like such a good idea now that he thought about it.

Oh, but flowers would be so sweet and romantic! No, no, he had to stay adamant about this. Bringing flowers to a party would be silly. Completely ridiculous. No flowers.

He didn't want to put any pressure on Kevin when he told him how he felt and asked that they be official. He could already imagine it would be stressful enough for him, since he clearly had some issue with commitment, and Jamie had a strong guess as to why...

When he got to the party, he would find the right moment to take Kevin aside, so that the prying eyes of bystanders wouldn't make the other man uncomfortable or influence his decision. Jamie just wanted Kevin to feel completely at ease when he talked to him. And should his answer be no...

No matter what happened, he wouldn't cry.

By the time the day came, and Jamie was left pacing in his room, dressed and ready to go, there was a pile of crumbled up papers toppling over beside his overflowing trashcan next to his desk.

Writing it hadn't seemed to work out too well, so he decided to just act it out instead. He would just rehearse what he'd say over and over until the party in about an hour.

No worries, no stress, tonight would go wonderfully! As long as Kevin was in a good mood, everything would be fine.

No matter what he settled on to say to him, it really did depend on the other man's mood tonight. Since Kevin reacted so badly every other time the concept of a relationship between them was even mildly touched upon, Jamie was desperate for the other man to be in good spirits when he got to the party. He needed to be in an open mood for anything Jamie was going to ask him to have any hopes of possibly being agreed to.

But this was Kevin's party, of course he'd be happy. Why wouldn't he be?

He couldn't let himself be concerned with a possibly bad scenario now, he needed to stay focused! He needed to rehearse.

Jamie tugged at the sleeves of his red shirt and checked himself in his full length mirror. He didn't usually wear this shirt, or these pants, but this was a special occasion, and he wanted to look nice. The shirt showed off his collar bone and the black pants hugged his frame nicely. Hopefully Kevin would like it.

Jamie let his eyes flicker over to the Polaroid photos he'd pinned to the wooden edges of the mirror. He'd taken them that last weekend, while he and Kevin had been on another date, this one to Funland. Jamie hadn't yet felt comfortable even leaving Beach City, and Kevin hadn't objected. It had been a simple but sweet date, and they'd enjoyed themselves. It had been a perfect way to unwind after the abduction.

While there, and as they'd strolled along the boardwalk afterwards, Jamie had the idea to take pictures with his old Polaroid. It was dusty, and a hand me down from his grandmother, but he loved it, and he'd always found taking pictures that way to be sentimental and oddly romantic.

Of course, Kevin hadn't reacted the same, asking, 'what the hell is that?', when Jamie showed it to him, followed by 'why the hell do you have it?', when Jamie explained what it was. The other man couldn't seem to understand why Jamie would use something so old when he could have just as easily used his phone, like he'd done in Empire City, but he didn't argue when Jamie did take the pictures.

And now they were tacked onto Jamie's mirror. It was a little habit of his - when he'd be rehearsing for a play or a performance of his, he liked to attach of photo of something relating to what he was rehearsing for. He'd done it with Dewey's play, his mime act for Beach-A-Palooza, and even when he'd volunteered for the Renaissance Faire. It was a small boost of motivation, so that should be start to hit a rough patch with his performance, he could quickly glance at the photo to be reminded of what he was practicing for.

And he was looking at the pictures of him and Kevin laughing and kissing for that exact same reason.

Alright, alright. He could do this. He just needed to let his mind go blank and say how he really felt about Kevin.

"I love you!" Okay, maybe that was a bit much - if just alluding to a relationship made Kevin start to panic, saying that would probably give him a _heart attack._

Not to mention that wasn't exactly following Garnet's advice, which he'd taken as gospel. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to say that when they hadn't even been in an official relationship yet.

Besides, the thought of making Kevin nervous by saying that was in turn making _him_ nervous, and Jamie was already getting himself worked up over this, he didn't need anymore anxiety. He needed to stay level headed, optimistic, confident!

He was fine, he was fine!

 _He was going to throw up._

Jamie whined as he held his head, flopping face first into his bed with a groan. He stayed like that for just a few breaths before he pushed himself back up, shaking out the nerves before taking a deep breath.

Relax, breathe, clear your head and try again.

Jamie paced around his room for a moment, snapping his fingers as he tried to think of something else. When it came to him, he clapped excitedly, turning to face his mirror once again.

"I just adore you!" He started, placing one hand to his chest while holding the other one outwards. "And I wish that I knew what makes you think I'm so... special."

That was sweet, yes, but...

Jamie hummed to himself, one hand resting on his waist while he bit his thumb absentmindedly before tapping his chin thoughtfully.

He didn't want to quote any movies or songs, and that felt oddly familiar. He wanted this to be completely from the heart.

He needed it to be heartfelt, truthful and overflowing with affection.

"I... I dwell in darkness without you!" Jamie started, throwing his arms out dramatically. "You are the sun to my day, and the moon to my night, and the stars in our sky are as boundless and limitless as my feelings for you!"

Was that overdoing it? Should he tone it down?

"You have bewitched me. Like a spell, I am entranced by you!" No, no, now he wasn't saying enough. Anyone could say they were entranced by another. What made it meaningful was why.

Jamie let out an exasperated sigh as he let his head fall back, lacing his fingers together behind his neck as he did while he walked to the opposite end of his small room.

Maybe he was just overthinking this. How would it be if he just said what came to mind, instead of fabricating elegant lines in his head? That was a thought...

Jamie lifted his head back up, catching sight of himself in the mirror as he pressed his hands together before tugging at his fingers nervously when he talked - he didn't want to start wringing the hem of his shirt and make it wrinkly before he'd even gotten to the party.

"I... From the moment I met you, I've been crazy about you." He began carefully, slowly walking back towards the mirror while keeping his eyes on his hands. "You just make me feel... like I'm walking on clouds. I've never met anyone like you. You just exude charisma, and charm, and you're so comfortable with yourself, and I just love that about you."

Jamie cringed when he used the word, shaking his head and clearing his throat.

"You're... amazing. And when I'm with you, it's like there's electricity in me. Since knowing you, I've gained so much self confidence. I mean, I'm going to parties now! I could never have seen myself going to one before you, or a rave. Or a drag race, or Empire City. But since you, that's changed."

He risked a glance up at the mirror, seeing his cheeks had turned as red as cherries. He hunched his shoulders before continuing.

"I'm just drawn to you. In a way I don't even know if I can describe. If I tried I'd probably end up with a ten page poem, so I'm saving you from that." He laughed slightly, tapping his fingers together before folding his hands.

"I've never felt like this before. When you smile, it's like my heart aches. And your laugh just makes me feel warm inside. When you talk, I hang off your every word because I don't want to miss a single thing you'll say. I don't care what everyone else says about you, even if it can be true at times. I've seen another side of you. But both halves make you perfect to me."

Jamie closed his eyes, aware of how fast his heart had begun to race as he took a few more steps forward, voice shaking as he spoke again.

"I don't want this to be just dating between us. The thought of that being all we have kills me." Jamie paused, taking an uneven breath before quietly continuing while his hands shook. "I want us to be... I want us to be together. A couple. Exclusive. I want us to be boyfriends. I-I know that's a bit much to ask, but I just, I want us to, I want you to, I want... I want..."

Jamie stopped walking when his knee hit the mirror and be blinked in surprise, staring at his own wide eyed, blushing reflection. After a brief pause, he sighed, letting his head fall forward to rest his forehead against the cool glass, eyes falling closed again while his arms fell uselessly to his sides.

After taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes again, glancing sideways at one of the photos he had pinned to the frame of the mirror. Jamie leaned back, reaching up and removing it carefully before turning his back to his reflection as he looked at the picture. He smiled fondly, easing himself to the floor to sit cross legged. He leaned back against the mirror, holding the photo to his chest as he stared at the ceiling, breathing out heavily.

"... I want you."

(-)

Jamie really should have kept better track of the time.

When he had finally settled on what he wanted to say, Jamie rehearsed it relentlessly, using different inflections, various hand gestures and gaits as he walked, studying himself in his mirror.

He just wanted this to go perfectly.

Which is why he panicked and saw that what should have only taken thirty minutes had eaten up two hours, and he was now drastically late for the party. In his rush to leave, he'd successfully kicked his coffee table and nearly knocked over his coat rack as well. He'd been down the sidewalk when he realized he hadn't locked his apartment and had to sprint back to do that as well. Not the best start.

Jamie ended up getting flowers.

Nothing extravagant, just some blue roses and purple pansies. Peridot had grown them, and Jamie thought they looked nice, and they reminded him of Kevin. He just hoped the other man liked them as well. And should they prove to be a bit much, he could just use the excuse that they were a party warming gift.

Although now that the mailman thought about it, he wasn't entirely sure that was a thing.

As Jamie walked up the driveway, he was hit with an overwhelming sense of longing as he reminisced. It seemed like so long ago he'd been to this house for the first time, delivering a package to someone he didn't know. He remembered how intimidated he'd felt by the sheer size of the house initially, and it's ornate yard. How he'd hesitated to ring the doorbell, and how unassuming he'd been of who would answer thanks to Barbara's warning.

He never could have guessed how that chance meeting would completely shake up his life, and how he'd meet someone who surpassed all his dreams, and now was the subject of them.

Jamie smiled faintly to himself as he looked up at the front door, pausing for only a moment before taking the side path around the house.

He couldn't hear any music as he approached the backyard. Odd, but maybe the house and the tall hedges just blocked the sound.

He put on a bright smile as he reached for the gate, glancing over it to survey the party and -

No one was there.

The yard was completely empty. Cups and cans were left strewn about, as though dropped in a hurry. Like the party had been ended abruptly. The only soul in sight was Kevin, sitting alone at the pool's edge, legs dangling in the water with his back to him.

Well... at least Jamie didn't have to worry about a crowd putting any unwanted pressure on Kevin.

The creek of the gate opening and then closing behind Jamie when he walked into the yard caught the other man's attention, and he heard him growl, shoulders hunching.

"Party's over, beat it!"

Jamie winced at the tone Kevin used, but forced a smile back to his face regardless, hiding the flowers behind his back when he spoke up.

"I thought I would arrive fashionably late."

Kevin pivoted around at once, eyes widening and eyebrows shooting up in surprise when he saw Jamie standing there. The young actor looked nice; Kevin had never seen him in that outfit before, and that was a damn shame. Jamie thought the same about what Kevin was wearing, except...

"You're soaking wet." Jamie realized, blinking. Kevin's purple shirt hugged his body damply, and his bangs stuck to his forehead and hung around his face heavily - nothing like how he usually kept it, which was perfectly combed and immaculate.

Jamie saw Kevin's face darken and he huffed, turning away from him again, briskly.

"Yeah, no shit."

 _Oh._

Oh he was mad.

Jamie felt his heart sink as it went out to Kevin. Something had happened, something dreadful. If he'd just gotten there earlier, maybe there was something he could have done to prevent it. No, he couldn't let himself start feeling guilty. He didn't know what had happened, but he was going to find out.

When Jamie opened his mouth to call out to him again, he gasped suddenly, heart clenching in his chest.

Kevin wasn't in a good mood. His lines... what he'd been practicing all week, aching over, obsessing over and rehearsing for the better half of two hours; what he'd been late over... they'd been dependent on Kevin's mood. Everything he'd spent so long painstakingly preparing... none of it would work. He couldn't pour his heart out to him, not the way he'd been planning to.

He would have to completely scrap what he'd been wanting to tell him. It was enough to nearly crush Jamie's heart.

That... that was fine. This was fine, he could do this. He'd just have to... improvise. He was an actor, he could think on his feet.

Jamie immediately felt selfish for that thought, though. Clearly that should be the last thing on his mind when Kevin was clearly hurting...

If they got to a point while talking where Jamie felt it appropriate to bring up the topic, he would. But for now, he just wanted to know what had happened, and if there was anything he could do to help.

Along with scrapping his rehearsed lines, Jamie also frantically tossed his small bouquet of flowers into the bush behind him. The sudden movement was just in Kevin's peripheral vision, and he frowned as he looked more fully at Jamie.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" Jamie replied, voice shrill before clearing his throat and smiling hopefully at Kevin. "Can I come sit with you?"

Kevin muttered something under his breath, which Jamie took as, 'Go ahead.'

Water had splashed out of the pool, making the surrounding ground slick and difficult to walk on. Jamie almost slipped three times just walking over to Kevin, grateful to finally sit down next to him.

And only becoming aware that it may not have been the best decision when he felt the water soak into his pants. But that was a small concern.

He tried looking more casual, leaning his weight on the hand that he rested on the pool's edge. It almost went out from under him, and he barely stopped himself from toppling to his side. He decided to keep his arms hooked around his legs which he had tucked to his chest, face burning from embarrassment already.

Kevin didn't even look at him, and Jamie felt the look of defeat on the other man's face pulling at his heartstrings. He never saw Kevin like...

Jamie glanced down at the pool, frowning slightly. Kevin still had his legs in the water, apparently uncaring of how the chlorine would ruin his shoes. Jamie knew them to be absurdly expensive, and Kevin was rather particular about them. But now it looked like he hadn't even noticed.

No... he had, Jamie realized. But whatever had happened before he'd arrived to make Kevin become soaking wet would have already ruined not only his clothes, but the shoes as well. So what was even the point of taking them out of the water.

Jamie's shoulders fell as he watched the water's surface, slowly uncurling his legs and arms before he slipped his feet into the water as well, feeling a chill shoot up his spine instantly.

They could share the suffering, together.

He noticed Kevin's eyes dart over to Jamie's submerged feet before they flitted up to his face, noting the young actor's gentle smile.

Jamie could have swore he saw a ghost of a smile on Kevin's face as well for just a hair of a moment, but it was gone too soon to tell as Kevin hunched his shoulders and sighed, turning his eyes back to the water. The look in his eyes made Jamie's own smile slip away, replaced with concern instead.

"Do you... wanna talk?" Jamie finally ventured gently.

At first, Jamie was met with a disheartening silence, and he figured that would be how the rest of the night would go. But the sadness in Kevin's eyes was replaced with anger as he replied.

"This night has been the worst!" Kevin told Jamie, throwing his hands up in the air as he spoke. "Everything was going fine, everybody was pretending like they were enjoying themselves, -" _Pretending?_ "- it was going great!"

Kevin buried his head in his hands, wet hair falling forward as he groaned.

"I even bonded with the twerp!" Kevin added, his tone laced with irritation.

After Steven had stopped crying and being an annoying brat, Kevin even dared to say he enjoyed spending time with him. He would absolutely never admit that to a single soul for as long as he lived, of course. But it hadn't been so bad. Steven could get in a funny joke every once in a while, not once insulting Kevin throughout the night - which was a welcomed change of pace. He could even dance when he wasn't a part of Stevonnie, which came as a pleasant surprise. That topic had been brought up when Kevin suggested doing something to get Connie's attention, and Steven admitted he enjoyed dancing. So, that was something in common between them.

Of course when Kevin had the idea to choreograph the dance, he'd annoyingly needed to explain what the hell a 'pivot' was to the kid.

"Well, that's a good thing." Jamie laughed somewhat nervously as he eyed Kevin's expression. "I mean it sounds nice so far!"

There was more than a touch of agitation in Kevin's voice when he responded, his eyes trained on the pool in a glare.

"Yeah, until he ruined it! Just like he ruins everything! After the advice I gave him, and when I stopped him from making a complete idiot of himself when he wanted to talk to that Connie girl, and he had snot running down his stupid face. After all that, he just left, and I made a complete ass out of myself!"

It was mortifying what Steven had done to him - okay, so maybe his intentions hadn't been the best, and honestly how was he supposed to know the two kids weren't together? But it was still sound advice given the circumstances! And Steven had just up and left without holding up his end of the bargain.

The two midgets had made up on their own, but Kevin doubted it would have gone smoothly had Steven gone to talk to Connie when he initially wanted to. You don't talk to someone you haven't been communicating with in a while when you're way too emotional. Because it would make the conversation uncomfortable, and you'd say things you'd regret or didn't mean to, and it would just make things worse. Kevin knew better than to do that from experience with... Sabina.

He growled, fingernails digging into his palms as he placed his hands on his knees. He knew Jamie was watching him carefully, and he really wished he wouldn't stare at him right now.

The humiliation, the brat asking about _her -_ and now this. Jamie seeing him at his lowest. It was enough to make him want to scream.

"I'm gonna kill that kid!" Kevin shouted, making Jamie flinch slightly. Well, so much for them working something out and getting along.

Jamie reached for his hand, gently placing his own over Kevin's clenched fist. He wasn't going to tell him to calm down, because doing so would only further aggravate him, Jamie guessed. He hoped the soothing circles he rubbed into the back of his hand with his thumb would help, however.

Kevin tensed initially, making Jamie wonder if he should pull back, but slowly his fingers uncurled and he pressed his palm flat against his knee, exhaling heavily. He was still pissed at the kid, but at least Jamie hadn't seen him embarrass himself. That would have been too much for him to handle.

"Wait... how did any of that lead to you getting wet?" Jamie finally asked, tilting his head. Kevin refused to answer at first before muttering out a reply.

"I walked into the pool."

Jamie smiled apologetically at him, squeezing Kevin's hand.

"And after that, I made everyone leave. I couldn't deal with them laughing at me! It was so humiliating! There was no Stevonnie, this party will be remembered for all the wrong reasons, and those two stupid kids just left on their stupid pink dog while I was in the pool, looking like a complete jackass!"

Jamie opened his mouth to respond before frowning slightly, tilting his head at Kevin.

"Steven doesn't have a dog... wait, do you mean his Lion?" He knew it was the wrong thing to focus on, but that just stuck out to him.

"Yeah, that big ugly... Wait, what? That wasn't a dog?" Kevin asked suddenly, staring at Jamie in confusion.

"Not at all." Jamie said, and he had to bite back the grin he could feel himself wanting to give. "How did you mistake a lion for a dog?"

"Some people shave dogs to look like lions, I don't know! Shut up! God, you're worse than Dereck!" Kevin complained, pulling his hand away from Jamie's so he could run his fingers through his hair.

"I guess that explains why my allergies weren't acting up." Kevin sighed, closing his eyes when he pressed his hands to the cement again.

"You're allergic to dogs?" Jamie inquired, curious. "I didn't know that."

Kevin shrugged his shoulders, glaring at nothing in particular.

Jamie laughed just slightly, making Kevin turn his glare on him, clearly annoyed.

"I'm not laughing at you." Jamie insisted, brushing a few strands of wet hair away from Kevin's face as he smiled softly at him. "It's just funny. I never knew that. I like that I'm still learning things about you."

"You learned I have allergies." Kevin told him, and Jamie could see a hint of a smile as the corner of his mouth curled up. "Which is lame."

"I don't think it's lame. I think it's cute." Jamie told him, making Kevin snort in disbelief.

"You wouldn't be saying that if you saw me when I was having a reaction." Kevin told him, rolling his eyes. They widened, however, when he felt Jamie's hands cup his face, pulling him in for a soft kiss.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure." Jamie whispered, watching Kevin's expression. He kissed Kevin again before he could respond, running his fingers through his damp hair while one hand glided down, fingers tracing over Kevin's neck. His hand fell to Kevin's chest, and Jamie found the other man's heart to be racing.

The other man shuddered for a reason not entirely due to the chill from the water, feeling disappointed when Jamie did finally pull away.

"And if it's any consolation." Jamie told him, leaning back away from Kevin, "I'm sure your party was fantastic. I'm sorry I couldn't make it sooner."

"It was a drag without you, anyways." Kevin shrugged, smiling at Jamie as he leaned back on his hands. He was quiet a moment before muttering unintelligibly under his breath, but Jamie distinctly heard 'Steven' when he did.

"You know," Jamie began, "Stevonnie is kind of a special thing between Steven and Connie. They represent their relationship. That's what all fusions represent, from what Steven's told me."

Jamie caught Kevin watching him as he talked, and hoped he was making sense, or that what he said wouldn't annoy Kevin just as he was brightening up a bit at last.

"And your party provided them the opportunity to fix things, too! This just wasn't the right time for them to fuse. It's their relationship, or friendship. And you should be happy for them! You know, aside from making you, ah, fall in the pool."

Kevin scoffed and rolled his eyes, but he should have guessed Jamie would see a silver lining. This was the last time he asked that twerp and his non girlfriend for a favor.

Jamie chuckled at how Kevin clearly didn't see it the way he did, but at least he was listening to him. The air between them had grown much lighter, and Kevin's anger had all but evaporated.

Would... would now be a good time to...?

"Hey... Speaking of relationships..."

Jamie noticed Kevin immediately tense, peering at Jamie from behind his wet bangs warily.

And now Jamie was starting to doubt himself.

The young actor's nerves showed as he tugged at his sleeves again, now pointedly avoiding Kevin's eyes while he tried to choose his next words carefully.

"I was just wondering..." When Jamie turned to the other man again, he found Kevin to be watching him intently.

Jamie faltered under Kevin's stare. How he ever thought he would have been able to get a word out before, rehearsed or not, was beyond him.

The gazes of a thousand audience members wouldn't have been able to faze him. But Kevin's eyes alone made him buckle.

"W-Wondering... if..."

Even trying to recall what he'd been practicing earlier failed him, and his mind went completely blank.

"If?" Kevin asked slowly. He was fully aware of how his pulse began to quicken as he watched Jamie, noting the other man's furious blushing.

Jamie's stuttering grew worse as he tried saying something, letting out an unexpected nervous laugh as he held his head.

"Oh this was so much easier in my head! Okay uh... What... Um, what are we?"

God, this was coming out all wrong and jumbled. Jamie could feel his anxiety worsening and he felt like curling in on himself. This isn't how this conversation was supposed to go. Kevin wasn't going to respond well to this at all, Jamie was screwing everything up. This was why he'd rehearsed! He'd spent so long trying to imagine this scenario in his head, with dozens of outcomes, trying to account for what kind of responses he'd get. And now he was reduced to a stammering idiot. He must have looked so stupid to Kevin, and there was no way he would -

"What do you mean?"

He... was answering him? Jamie's head snapped to attention, eyebrows shooting up. Kevin hadn't seized up this time, like he had every time before when they'd addressed a relationship. He was beet red, and looked unbelievably uneasy, but he was looking at Jamie, uncertainty in his eyes.

This... this was good! This was progress! He was actually willing to talk about this! It was farther than Jamie figured he would get after his blunder.

The young actor knew it was too soon to get hopeful, but he couldn't stop the way his heart began beat faster.

"I mean... between us. Is this... official?" He couldn't keep his hands still, instead keeping his legs closed around them, hanging off Kevin's every word, watching his face intently, as though he could predict what he'd say.

"Official... like..."

Breathe, remember to breathe! He'd rehearsed this, he just needed to keep his cool and -

"Us! You and me! Together! A couple! Officially! Boyfriends!"

Jamie felt his stomach drop when he blurted that out, his grin falling before he buried his face in his hands. Oh God, did he really just do that?! No, no, that wasn't how that was supposed to come out! What happened to staying calm and collected?

He could see through his fingers the way Kevin flinched at what he said, and felt himself hit with a wave of guilt.

Kevin's thoughts were racing. He'd considered... Well, he'd given a slight thought to asking Jamie about the same that night. The other man seemed to have relaxed enough since the abduction that Kevin didn't think it would be a bad time to address it. And after Jamie's kiss earlier, which had left him breathless and awe-struck, he'd been determined to make something happen that night.

That was until Steven had brought up Sabina. Until he'd been humiliated in front of everyone. Now, the thought of a relationship was the farthest thing from his mind.

But God did the look on Jamie's face hurt him.

"We're dating, though. Isn't that enough?" Kevin kicked himself for that, noting the disappointment in Jamie's eyes. Why was he doing this?

A flare of determination returned to Jamie's eyes though as he sat up straighter, taking a deep breath. He wasn't going to give up so easily.

"I don't... I don't think so. Not for me. It's just...," Jamie shifted, letting his legs rest on the cement, not even noticing the cold air as it hit his wet skin. "Everyone in Beach City is taking these steps in their lives. Taking risks, trying new things, moving on. And I've been thinking about this ever since I was taken. About what new step _I_ want to take. And I want to take it... with you."

Jamie's shoulders hunched as he rubbed his arm, looking up at Kevin through his bangs with a nervous smile on his face. It was unfair at how cute he could be without even trying.

"I had this whole speech planned out earlier. I've kind of been practicing how I'd ask you." Jamie laughed slightly, forcing himself to ignore his rising nerves. "Of course now I'm blanking. Some actor I am, right?"

Jamie began to twiddle his thumbs, biting his lip. He could try and remember what he'd rehearsed earlier, but that didn't seem right now. In that moment, it had been from the heart. Improvised. He could just do it again.

"I... like you." Jamie started, laughing slightly. That was obvious. "A lot. Just, everything about you. How you talk and how you act. I feel like a completely different person when I'm with you, and I love being with you! The past month with you has been like a dream. I've done things with you I never would have even considered doing by myself! I couldn't have done it myself, but with you, it's like, it's like I'm suddenly confident. Like I could do anything. You make me feel like that. You make me feel like a lot of things."

Kevin hadn't interrupted yet, so Jamie assumed he was alright to continue.

"I've kind of been fooling myself for a while that I wasn't falling for you, or that I was just rushing in, because of what happened with Garnet. But I've never been more sure of myself than with this. I want to be with you. I want you."

Jamie closed his eyes, biting his lip nervously, hands shaking as he clasped them in his lap, waiting to hear what Kevin would say.

He wasn't scared, he was just... terrified.

His eyes snapped open when he heard something unexpected - Kevin chuckling.

He looked up at him, surprised to see the other man's cheeks had turned red. That was a good reaction, right?

"It's hard not to love me." Kevin replied, giving Jamie a wink. The actor laughed brightly at that, grinning widely.

"Well, you are a bit of a heartthrob." Jamie told him, leaning forward, heart pounding in his ears. "So...?"

Kevin's smile fell slightly, and Jamie noticed an odd look in his eyes.

"Well, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it." Kevin admitted, distinctly hearing Jamie gasp. "But..."

"Oh, no don't say 'but'. 'But' is bad." Jamie's laugh was strained, folding his hands pleadingly as he rested his chin on them.

Why did Jamie have to look at him like that? It made his heart ache, and he felt bad.

Kevin hated feeling like this; overemotional, anxious, antsy. He didn't handle himself well when he was like this. It was part of why his last relationship had ended so... horrendously.

His last relationship... Just thinking about it made his skin crawl and his mood sour. Still, it was a step up from feeling like he was dying. In fact, Kevin had noticed that, as subtle a difference as it was, thinking about Sabina had become somewhat easier since meeting Jamie.

He didn't exactly want to talk about her, but he figured Jamie deserved to know why he wasn't exactly too hot on the idea of starting another relationship.

"I... have this ex."

"I figured." Jamie replied softly, making Kevin frown, leading the actor to elaborate. "I could kind of tell by how you got whenever someone would mistake us for a couple. You kind of got this look in your eye."

Oh, so Kevin hadn't hid his emotions as well as he'd thought, that was good to know. Then again, Jamie was keen on those kinds of details.

"Yeah, I guess it was kind of obvious." He muttered. "She just..."

God, was this uncomfortable to talk about. It was bad enough when Steven asked about her earlier, completely catching Kevin off guard. But to bring it up with Jamie?

"If you don't want to talk about her, you don't have to." Jamie told him, tilting his head.

Why did Jamie have to be so nice? And understanding? Kevin was relieved to hear him say that, and would have been happy to drop the subject entirely.

But he wasn't going to.

Jamie had opened up to him about something utterly terrifying for him - how he'd been abducted. It hadn't been easy for him, Kevin knew that. But Jamie had, and he'd listened to him, and tried to comfort him. If they were to be something... Jamie deserved that same extension of courtesy.

It would be safe, and easy, and comfortable to stay as they were. No labels, no chance of being hurt, like he'd been before. He didn't do open and vulnerable; he'd built up walls, and he was fine with keeping them up, because he didn't need people knowing his sob story.

But for Jamie, he'd make an exception.

"No, I can talk about her. You won't like her." Kevin warned.

"I'm already not too keen on her." Jamie admitted. Not if she'd hurt Kevin this bad. Jamie moved closer until their knees touched, making sure Kevin knew he had his undivided attention.

The other man snickered, brushing his wet hair away.

"Her name's Sabina. We went out a while back. It started out as a fling, but I started taking things more seriously. She wasn't crazy about it, said we were taking things too fast, and we went on a break. I kind of... didn't handle it well."

He'd been hurt, that was understandable. She hadn't exactly been nice about it either. She'd called him clingy, and needy, and desperate. Which is why he kept trying to catch himself from getting like that with Jamie. But when he'd been taken, he could feel himself falling back into old habits.

Jamie listened to every word he said, never letting his attention waver. He was beyond touched that Kevin trusted him enough to tell him all this.

"I saw her out a while later, and I kind of should have known better than to talk to her then. We hadn't said a word to each other since the break, but I was stupid, and upset. God, I was such a dumbass." Kevin sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"I kind of... said stuff I shouldn't have. I wasn't thinking, I just said how I felt. Sabina didn't... ah, she didn't take it well. If she thought I was needy before, that didn't help. Kind of... used the 'l' word. I didn't mean it, it just slipped out!"

"Oh." Jamie said, feeling his cheeks flush. "Well, I may have done that with Garnet, too..."

"Really?" Kevin blinked, looking at him. So... Jamie had been there too?

"Yeah." Jamie laughed slightly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Kinda regret saying it then, too."

Kevin's expression changed, from being embarrassed himself to understanding, smirking slightly.

"Guess we were both idiots, then." Kevin chuckled, with Jamie smiling at him.

"I wouldn't say that. I can't speak for you, but I know that I've got a heart full of love. I'm a hopeless romantic, what can I say?"

Kevin smiled crookedly at him. It was so easy to talk to him about this, so normal. He'd been terrified of the judgment, but Jamie had nothing but understanding for him.

"So, what did she say?" Jamie asked after a moment, making the other man snort and scowl, turning his head away.

"Well she dumped me, for starters. Publicly. Loudly." Ouch. "She made a huge scene out of it. Calling me names, shouting, saying she hated my guts. So you know, that was fun."

It had been the single most humiliating experience in his entire life. People had stared, whispered and pointed. He could see their accusatory stares, looking down on him with disdain or pity. He'd felt like dying, right then and there.

It's why he'd felt genuinely bad for Steven earlier when he saw him going through the same thing he had, or at least figured he was - a break. Of course, he'd misread the signs, but he'd saved Steven from embarrassing himself at first. Served him right for trying to do a good deed.

"After that, I wasn't really crazy on the whole 'relationship' thing. Had my heart broken once, wasn't looking for it to happen again." Kevin finished, shrugging with a sigh.

It felt... oddly nice to have all that off his chest, out in the open. And while it was embarrassing to recount, it did seem to relieve some of the pressure he'd been feeling.

Maybe he would be fine in another relationship, after all...

When he looked over at Jamie, he felt a bit of panic at the tears he saw in his eyes. Shit, he made him cry!

"That's... I'm so sorry." Jamie whispered. This girl, who the hell did she think she was? Kevin had needed comfort in that moment he'd accidentally confessed to her, not to have his feelings dismissed and to be mortified in front s bunch of strangers. He didn't deserve that! What she'd done was cruel and callous. And it broke Jamie's heart to hear.

Kevin had been right; he didn't like her at all.

Jamie closed his eyes, wiping at his tears. He could understand why Kevin had seized up the way he had whenever someone mistook them for a couple now, or when it had been brought up. He couldn't blame him. Jamie couldn't imagine what he would have done in Kevin's place, being as emotional a person as he was. He would never want Kevin to feel like that.

And if that meant... not being a couple, he'd do that. He didn't want to give Kevin that fear. Even if it would kill Jamie to stay as they were.

"I would never, ever do that to you." Jamie promised, cupping Kevin's cheek, surprising the other man when he smiled sadly through the tears. He looked like he'd had his heart ripped out.

"If commitment scares you that much... I-I don't... I don't want to put you through that kind of anxiety again. I care about you too much to do that to you. So, we don't have to make this official."

Wait, what? Kevin frowned, shaking his head. No, no that's not what he wanted.

"I... I should go." Jamie said quietly, beginning to stand, and Kevin felt a jolt of pure, unadulterated panic shoot through him.

"Wait!" Jamie yelped when his arm was grabbed and he was dragged back down, blinking in surprise. The other man flushed with embarrassment immediately, releasing his hold on him.

"Don't go! I don't-" Kevin stopped himself, feeling an odd sense of deja vu. All of this, it felt familiar. Like they'd done this before...

Because they had, only the roles were reversed. Last time, it had been Jamie keeping Kevin with him.

And what Kevin had just shouted...

That... that had been exactly what Jamie had said. Back on the beach.

"Uh." Kevin let out a nervous laugh, tugging at his collar. He wanted to kiss him, pull him close, let him know that everything was fine, but dammit all, his words were failing him again.

Did the thought of being in a relationship scare him? Of course. But that fear was nothing compared to how Kevin had felt when he thought he'd lost Jamie when he'd been abducted. To when he'd nearly been killed...

He knew he liked Jamie, more than he'd liked Sabina.

Because he'd broken down crying for him. Because he'd shattered for him.

Because when he thought Jamie was about to leave him right then, he couldn't possibly let him go. He couldn't lose him.

Kevin had figured himself lucky when Jamie showed up on his doorstop over a month ago. Some cute, easily flustered guy, who melted at all his flirtations and looked at him like he was everything. Another fling, something fun, nothing serious. He hadn't been looking for serious again, not when his last heartbreak was still fresh in his mind.

But that wasn't how it happened. Within the first date alone, something had clicked between them. When they talked, it had been so natural, and easy. Jamie had been funny, and endearing, and sweet. So unlike Kevin's usual hookups. He'd made him laugh, and smile. And when he'd asked him out again, it had been on a whim. He wanted to see how Jamie would react when in a setting that fit Kevin more.

And it had turned out better than expected. Jamie really came to life at the rave, and seeing him dancing, under the glow of black lights, neon and beautiful, that's when Kevin knew he was starting to fall for him.

And he'd fallen hard and fast, without even realizing it. And he knew he should have pulled away, but Jamie just kept pulling him in. With his smile, his personality, his... everything.

He loved everything about Jamie.

And he was willing to be vulnerable again for him, willing to try and be in a relationship again. Even if this ended in heartbreak, too. He'd already experienced the worst feeling imaginable when he saw Topaz nearly kill him, this worry was nothing compared to that. And neither was the hurt Sabina had left him with.

Jamie was worth the risk.

"Alright."

Jamie frowned, eyebrows knitting together.

"Alright what?"

Kevin smiled, taking Jamie's chin in his hand and kissing him. His heart was pounding out of his chest, and Jamie could feel it when his hands rested against his torso.

Kevin's hands trailed up Jamie's sides, pushing up the fabric of his shirt just slightly, making him shiver when Kevin pulled him against his body. Jamie didn't even notice when the water still soaked into Kevin's own clothes began to make his own damp.

He let his hands travel back up to Jamie's face, brushing away his hair as he let his kissing trail up Jamie's jawline, drawing out a shuddering sigh from him. Kevin leaned away from him, taking in Jamie's dreamy eyed expression while he smiled at him, tracing his thumb over Jamie's bottom lip.

"Let's be boyfriends."

The dazed expression changed in an instant, eyes widening as Jamie breathed in sharply, fingers curling into fists in the fabric of Kevin's shirt.

"You're, you're serious?" His voice quivered when he spoke, eyes beginning to shimmer like stars.

"Dead serious." Kevin agreed, smiling at the other man. He had never been more sure of himself. There wasn't a hint of hesitation, regret or doubt in anything he was saying.

His heart warmed at the way Jamie's face split into a wide grin, pressing both hands to his own chest. Jamie felt like his heart was going to burst, and he could feel his breathing coming out faster as what Kevin said truly hit him.

He wanted to be boyfriends!

"You're gonna cry again, aren't you?" Kevin snickered, making Jamie laugh, his cheeks flushed as red as roses.

"Am I that predictable?" Jamie asked, wiping at his eyes.

"Maybe. But I think it's cute." Everything Jamie did was cute to him. "Only you could pull that off."

Jamie giggled joyfully, his ecstasy bubbling over. He felt like yelling to the world, crying out at the top of his lungs about how he was the happiest man alive.

"Oh, don't I know it, baby!" Jamie replied, flashing Kevin a charming smile.

Now _that_ was something Kevin couldn't have predicted he'd say.

"What was that?" Kevin laughed, grinning at Jamie's comment while quirking an eyebrow. "Trying to talk like your boyfriend now?"

Ah, he'd said it! He called him his boyfriend!

"I have no idea. I probably sounded ridiculous." The actor laughed. He didn't think he'd ever stop grinning.

"I think it suits you." Kevin smirked, watching Jamie, positively captivated.

"Well then," Jamie said, trying to turn on the charm while he leaned his weight on his hand, planting it on the wet tiled edge of the pool. "I can't help it if I'm a natural."

Jamie felt his arm go out from under him, the ground too slick to support his weight, and he flailed wildly as he fell over, slipping and falling into the pool with a loud splash, making Kevin erupt into laughter.

Jamie surfaced seconds later, breathing in sharply.

"Cold, it's cold!" It was so much worse now that he was completely submerged; how was Kevin not freezing?!

"Oh yeah, complete natural at being cool." Kevin snickered. He really did love Jamie.

"Help me out!" Jamie whined, reaching his hand up. Kevin snorted, rolling his eyes as he pulled his legs from the water, standing and offering his hand towards Jamie for him to take.

Jamie took it, looking up at his boyfriend. Kevin recognized the look in his eyes one second too late - that devious glint, his impish smirk.

Kevin yelled when his arm was unexpectedly snatched, pulling him forward and sending him crashing into the pool.

He gasped for air, sputtering and coughing when he finally found his way to the surface.

"What the hell did you do that for-" Kevin was cut off when Jamie silenced him with a kiss, a grin behind him. Whenever the young man tried to speak, the actor would kiss him again, now peppering his face with them, giggling delightfully.

Kevin eventually stopped trying to talk, grinning himself while he pulled Jamie closer by his waist, kissing him back with just as much ferocity, making Jamie laugh.

Boyfriends.

Yeah, he could do that.


End file.
